The effect of the nitric oxide donor glyceryl trinitrate on global and regional cerebral blood flow in man.
Despite their potential use as cerebral vasodilatory agents there are few studies of the effect of nitric oxide (NO) donors on the cerebral circulation in non-anaesthetised man. We determined the effect of the NO donor glyceryl trinitrate (GTN) at clinically relevant doses on global and regional cerebral blood flow (CBF) in healthy non-anaesthetised volunteers, using H(2)(15)O PET, ultrasonic colour velocity flow imaging of carotid artery flow, and transcranial Doppler (TCD) of middle cerebral artery velocities (MCAv). Three rates of GTN infusion (0.1, 0.4, 1.0 microg/kg/min) were used. There was no significant change in common or internal carotid artery flow following GTN administration although a dose dependent fall in MCAv post GTN was observed. There was no significant change in either global or regional CBF following GTN. Thus intravenous GTN at therapeutic doses in awake humans does not alter global or regional CBF. However it does produce basal cerebral artery vasodilatation as evidenced by a fall in MCAv in the absence of a change in internal carotid artery flow.
White
R P
RP
Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Guy's King's and St Thomas' School of Medicine and Institute of Psychiatry, London, UK.
Deane
C
C
Hindley
C
C
Bloomfield
P M
PM
Cunningham
V J
VJ
Vallance
P
P
Brooks
D J
DJ
Markus
H S
HS
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D002343:Carotid Artery, Internal / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020768:Middle Cerebral Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D020030:Nitric Oxide Donors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005996:Nitroglycerin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014055:Tomography, Emission-Computed; D014465:Ultrasonics; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*
D020030:Nitric Oxide Donors; D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D005996:Nitroglycerin