Direct Renal Vasodilatation Produced by Dopamine in the Dog

Abstract

The effects on directly measured renal blood flow, mean blood pressure, and calculated renal vascular resistance of intravenous infusions of dopamine, isoproterenol, and norepinephrine were compared. Dopamine, at doses not affecting mean blood pressure, decreased renal vascular resistance and increased renal blood flow. In contrast, isoproterenol decreased both blood pressure and renal vascular resistance but did not consistently increase renal blood flow. Renal artery injection of dopamine produced vasodilatation at doses ranging from 0.75 to 12 µg and biphasic flow responses including transient vasoconstriction at higher doses. It is concluded that the probable basis for the effect of intravenous dopamine infusion on renal blood flow is its direct renal vasodilating action. The direct effect of dopamine on the femoral vascular bed is vasoconstriction. The combination of renal vasodilating, and femoral vasoconstricting, effects is unique and is interpreted as evidence for a renal vasodilating effect of dopamine distinct from the conventional beta-adrenergic mechanism. A possible physiological role for dopamine other than as a precursor to norepinephrine may be related to this property. It is also suggested that the ability of dopamine to alter the distribution of cardiac output in favor of visceral organs may find useful clinical applications.