Significance of resting and stimulated cerebral blood flow for predicting the risk of hemodynamic cerebral ischemia in a model of chronic hemodynamic insufficiency.

OBJECTIVE: It has been postulated that patients with a compromised cerebrovascular reserve capacity (RC), defined as cerebral blood flow (CBF) response to acetazolamide (ACZ) (by percent), are at higher risk for ischemic stroke. The value of CBF and RC for predicting the risk of hemodynamically induced impairment of cerebral function is examined. METHODS: Both common carotid arteries were occluded in 22 Wistar-Kyoto rats. Thirty-one days later, mean arterial blood pressure was reduced to 40 mm Hg for 30 minutes. Laser Doppler scanning of CBF at resting conditions and after intraperitoneal administration of ACZ (0.1 mg/g body weight) was performed 30 minutes and 28 days after occlusion as we…