Renal and Cardiovascular Effects of Anesthetic Doses of Pentobarbital Sodium

Abstract

The renal and cardiovascular effects of anesthetic doses of pentobarbital sodium were investigated in eight trained, postabsorptive, female dogs. Glomerular filtration rate, renal blood flow, and certain tubular functions remained unchanged during the unanesthetized and anesthetized states. Except for a brief period during induction, the blood pressure likewise was unaffected by the anesthesia. The heart rate increased significantly in the immediate postanesthetic period, but had regained control levels after 30 minutes. The hematocrit was unaltered by the pentobarbital action. The conflicting results which have been reported on the influence of this anesthetic agent on renal and cardiovascular functions can most probably be attributed to the variability in experimental conditions employed.