Acetazolamide Improves Tissue Oxygenation During Hypoxia in the Human Brain

Kang Wang¹, Zachary M. Smith¹, David J. Dubowitz¹

Hypoxic hypoxia is accompanied by an increase in cerebral O2 metabolism, and despite increased cerebral blood flow there is reduced cerebral tissue oxygentation. We investigated if Acetazolamide (a carbonic anhydrase inhibitor that increases CO2 in the cerebral tissues) improves tissue oxygentaion during hypoxia. CMRO2 was measured using ASL and TRUST at 3T in human volunteers during normoxia, and following 6-hrs hypoxia with or without acetazolamide treatment. Following acetazolamide, the hypoxia-induced rise in CMRO2 and CBF were reduced. This resulted in improved oxygentation in cerebral tissues despite the continued hypoxia.