Re-examination of the dose-reponse relationship for the renal effect of acetozolamide.

To examine the effect of acetazolamide on tubular reabsorption of bicarbonate, plasma concentrations of bicarbonate, potassium and PCO2 were kept constant in volume expanded dogs. Intravenous infusion of acetazolamide reduced glomerular filtration rate (GFR) at all dose levels; after a dose of 30 mg/kg body wt GFR was reduced by about 30% and was not reduced further by increasing the infused dose of acetazolamide up to 500 mg/kg body wt. When control GFR was restored by raising systemic blood pressure, increments in filtered and excreted bicarbonate were not significantly different. At control GFR a linear relationship was obtained between bicarbonate reabsorption and log dose when acetazolamide was administered intravenously in doses ranging between 0.3 and 500 mg/kg body wt (r = 0.93). We conclude that a log dose-reponse relationship applies over a 25 times larger dose range than previously assumed.