CARDIORENAL EFFECTS OF LARGE INFUSIONS OF DEXTRAN IN DOGS

Abstract

The production of hypervolemic dilution anemia in intact, anesthetized dogs by the continuous intravenous infusion of 6% dextran solution caused large increases in the cardiac output and urine flow. No consistent changes were observed in pulse rate or arterial blood pressure. The right auricular mean pressure usually increased early in the infusion, but later there was no consistent relation between right auricular pressure and cardiac output. The total peripheral resistance, glomerular filtration rate, and renal blood flow decreased. With infusion volumes exceeding 10% of the body weight, acute high-output heart failure occurred. The observed hemodilution was consistently greater than that expected from the volume of the infusion, because the dextran solution was, presumably, hypertonic.