The protective effect of low-dose dopamine on renal functions in hypotensive rats: an experimental study.

BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of low-dose dopamine on markers of the renal functions in a rat model of hypotension. METHODS Forty Wistar rats were divided into control, hypotension, dopamine, and hypotension+dopamine groups. Hypotension was achieved by sodium-nitroprusside infusion. Samples were drawn for analysis during the two-hour study period. RESULTS Blood urea nitrogen levels were significantly increased in hypotension group during the early phase but this difference disappeared at the end of the second hour. Dopamine infusion had no effect on creatinine and potassium clearance. Despite the significance of improved sodium clearance in the hypotensive rats treated with dopamine, natriuresis did not occurred in the dopamine-only group. CONCLUSION It can be stated that low dose dopamine infusion at a rate of 0.5 microg kg(-1) min(-1) has a short-term preventive action against the increase of blood urea nitrogen during the early phase of pharmacologically induced hypotension.