Influence of ranitidine on hepatic blood flow assessed by organ-reflectance spectrophotometer and pulse-Doppler ultrasonic flowmeter.

The influence of the intravenous injection of ranitidine (50 mg) on hepatic hemodynamics was investigated in normal subjects and patients with chronic liver disease. Using the organ-reflectance spectrophotometer, the regional hepatic blood hemoglobin concentration (delta Er569-650), an indicator of the regional hepatic blood flow, and the oxygen saturation of hemoglobin in the regional hepatic tissue (So2) were measured in patients with chronic liver disease after ranitidine injection under peritoneoscopy. With the pulse-Doppler ultrasonic flowmeter, the portal blood flow was measured in patients with chronic liver disease and normal subjects. There were no significant changes in the regional hepatic blood flow, the oxygen saturation of hemoglobin, and the portal blood flow after the intravenous injection of ranitidine. Thus, it is concluded that usual dose of ranitidine has no significant influence on the hepatic blood flow and that it can be prescribed without reducing the hepatic blood flow.