Cimetidine inhibits the hypoxia-induced increase in cerebral blood flow in dogs.

Abstract

Cimetidine is an H2 receptor-blocking drug frequently given to ICU patients for the prevention of stress ulcers. However, histamine causes potent cerebral vasodilation through the H2 receptors. This study tested the hypothesis that cimetidine, by blocking the H2 receptors, could blunt the increase of cerebral blood flow induced by hypoxia. We induced isocapnic hypoxia in 12 conscious dogs that were randomly divided into two groups. Six dogs received no treatment (control group), and the other six received iv cimetidine (4 mg/kg) to block the H2 receptors. Cerebral blood flow (CBF) was measured with the radioactive microsphere technique before, and 2 and 4 h after hypoxia was induced. In the control group, CBF significantly increased with hypoxia in all the regions of the brain. Cimetidine blunted this increase in all the regions of the brain except the pons and bulb. As a result of the reduced flow, cimetidine significantly decreased the oxygen supply to the brain compared to the control group. We conclude that cimetidine blunts the increase in CBF during hypoxia and might reduce oxygen supply to the brain in hypoxic patients.