Effects of Norepinephrine on Blood Pressure and Intra-renal Perfusion and Oxygenation in Ovine Hypotensive Sepsis

Abstract

Background and Aims In sepsis, norepinephrine (NE) is a primary treatment to maintain arterial pressure, but its effects on intrarenal oxygenation and perfusion are unclear. We therefore examined the effects of NE on mean arterial pressure (MAP), renal blood flow (RBF), urine flow (UF) and renal cortical and medullary perfusion and oxygenation during hypotensive sepsis in conscious sheep. Methods Sheep were instrumented with a renal artery flow probe, and fiber‐optic probes in the renal cortex and medulla to measure tissue PO 2 a..