The influence of long-term infusion of the calcium antagonist diltiazem on postischemic acute renal failure in conscious dogs.

The influence of long-term infusion of the calcium-entry blocker diltiazem on postischemic acute renal failure was investigated in conscious dogs monitored by implanted instruments. In 18 uninephrectomized beagle dogs on a salt-rich diet, an electromagnetic flow probe and an inflatable plastic cuff were placed around the renal artery. Acute renal failure was induced by inflating the cuff for 180 min in the conscious animal. Group A (n = 5, control) received an intraaortic injection of 0.9% NaCl (5 ml/day) from the 3rd day before until the 7th day after ischemia and group B (n = 6, posttreatment) an intra-aortic injection of diltiazem (5 micrograms X min-1 X kg-1) beginning at the end of ischemia until the 7th day. Group C (n = 7, pre- and posttreatment) received diltiazem from the 3rd day before until the 7th day after ischemia. In group A, renal blood flow dropped from 149 +/- 16 (preischemic) to 129 +/- 29 ml X min-1 on the 1st day after ischemia. In contrast, renal blood flow increased on the 1st postischemic day in both treatment groups by 29 +/- 15% (group B, P 0.05) and 14 +/- 13% (group C). In the following days, there was no significant difference in renal blood flow between groups A, B and C. In group B, the reduction of the glomerular filtration rate was similar to that in the control group.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)