Abstract
Cerebral blood flow (CBF) and cerebral venous blood gases were studied in seven patients before, during and after intravenous sodium nitroprusside infusion. The 133Xe intra-arterial injection method was used for the CBF measurements. A dose of sodium nitroprusside (mean 1.0 mg, mean infusion time 20 min), which reduced mean arterial blood pressure by a mean of 17%, resulted in a 13% decrease in CBF (P less than 0.05). Measurements obtained 5 and 20 min after termination of the sodium nitroprusside infusion showed no signs of a hyperaemic rebound effect. Arterial PCO2, metabolic rate of oxygen, arterio-venous oxygen difference and venous PO2 remained unchanged during and after infusion. It is concluded that sodium nitroprusside has a minor effect on cerebral haemodynamics, an effect that might be mediated by the sympathetic nervous system.
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