The cardiovascular and metabolic effects of mixtures of acetate and succinate: a potential improvement in dialysate solutions.

Various mixtures of acetate (AC) and succinate (SUCC) were studied for their metabolic and cardiovascular (CV) effects in 10 dogs. The CV effects seen with all mixtures were similar to those reported for SUCC alone with the only changes being increased cardiac output and decreased total peripheral resistance. The 50:50 per cent AC/SUCC offered the advantage of a rapid but less marked and more sustained HCO3 production. The pH changes in all mixtures followed HCO3 values. Since the addition of SUCC seems to reduce the untoward CV changes seen with AC alone, the ratio of AC/SUCC should be based on metabolic considerations. The present data suggest that a 50:50 per cent AC/SUCC mixture is optimal for metabolic and CV effects.