Acetazolamide produced blood flow velocity changes measured by laser Doppler in gerbils with reduced CBF

The effect of acetazolamide on the cerebral blood flow was studied in gerbils with unilateral carotid ligation. According to the effect of ligation the animals were divided into three groups: first group-the reduction more than 70%, second-CBF reduction 30-70% and the third group-CBF reduction less than 30%. The effect of acetazolamide administration was closely related to the effect of carotid ligation. More reduction of CBF was produced by carotid ligation, less increase of CBF after acetazolamide injection was noticed. The acetazolamide vascular reserve test was found a sensitive and useful method for detecting even modest reduction of vascular reserve in animals with slight - less than 30% CBF decrease following carotid ligation.