Biomaterial Database

Possible impairment of the sympathetic nervous system response to postprandial hypotension in elderly hypertensive patients. 1991

R A Haigh, and G D Harper, and R Burton, and I A Macdonald, and J F Potter

University Department of Medicine for the Elderly, Leicester General Hospital, UK.

In a randomised, single-blind, cross-over study, the effects of a high carbohydrate meal or 'no meal' on BP, pulse rate, blood glucose, plasma insulin and catecholamine levels were assessed in eight fit, untreated, elderly hypertensive subjects. A significantly greater fall in supine (P = 0.006) and erect (P = 0.03) systolic blood pressure (SBP) occurred post-meal compared with the no meal phase. The maximum postprandial fall in supine SBP (-24 mmHg, 95% CI -16 to -32 mmHg) occurred at 60 minutes and was associated with a significant rise in supine pulse rate. No overall difference in diastolic BP was seen between the two phases and orthostatic control of BP was maintained. Blood glucose and plasma insulin levels rose after the meal but plasma noradrenaline levels were unchanged during both phases. Thus in these elderly hypertensive subjects the postprandial fall in SBP was not associated with an overall increase in sympathetic nervous system (SNS) activity (as gauged by plasma noradrenaline levels), unlike the findings previously reported in normotensive elderly and young subjects. These changes in BP and the possible impairment of the SNS response to postprandial hypotension should be considered when assessing the BP control, particularly after therapeutic intervention, in elderly hypertensive patients.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D006973	Hypertension	Persistently high systemic arterial BLOOD PRESSURE. Based on multiple readings (BLOOD PRESSURE DETERMINATION), hypertension is currently defined as when SYSTOLIC PRESSURE is consistently greater than 140 mm Hg or when DIASTOLIC PRESSURE is consistently 90 mm Hg or more.	Blood Pressure, High,Blood Pressures, High,High Blood Pressure,High Blood Pressures
D007022	Hypotension	Abnormally low BLOOD PRESSURE that can result in inadequate blood flow to the brain and other vital organs. Common symptom is DIZZINESS but greater negative impacts on the body occur when there is prolonged depravation of oxygen and nutrients.	Blood Pressure, Low,Hypotension, Vascular,Low Blood Pressure,Vascular Hypotension
D007328	Insulin	A 51-amino acid pancreatic hormone that plays a major role in the regulation of glucose metabolism, directly by suppressing endogenous glucose production (GLYCOGENOLYSIS; GLUCONEOGENESIS) and indirectly by suppressing GLUCAGON secretion and LIPOLYSIS. Native insulin is a globular protein comprised of a zinc-coordinated hexamer. Each insulin monomer containing two chains, A (21 residues) and B (30 residues), linked by two disulfide bonds. Insulin is used as a drug to control insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (DIABETES MELLITUS, TYPE 1).	Iletin,Insulin A Chain,Insulin B Chain,Insulin, Regular,Novolin,Sodium Insulin,Soluble Insulin,Chain, Insulin B,Insulin, Sodium,Insulin, Soluble,Regular Insulin
D008297	Male		Males
D001786	Blood Glucose	Glucose in blood.	Blood Sugar,Glucose, Blood,Sugar, Blood
D001794	Blood Pressure	PRESSURE of the BLOOD on the ARTERIES and other BLOOD VESSELS.	Systolic Pressure,Diastolic Pressure,Pulse Pressure,Pressure, Blood,Pressure, Diastolic,Pressure, Pulse,Pressure, Systolic,Pressures, Systolic
D002395	Catecholamines	A general class of ortho-dihydroxyphenylalkylamines derived from TYROSINE.	Catecholamine,Sympathin,Sympathins
D004040	Dietary Carbohydrates	Carbohydrates present in food comprising digestible sugars and starches and indigestible cellulose and other dietary fibers. The former are the major source of energy. The sugars are in beet and cane sugar, fruits, honey, sweet corn, corn syrup, milk and milk products, etc.; the starches are in cereal grains, legumes (FABACEAE), tubers, etc. (From Claudio & Lagua, Nutrition and Diet Therapy Dictionary, 3d ed, p32, p277)	Carbohydrates, Dietary,Carbohydrate, Dietary,Dietary Carbohydrate
D004311	Double-Blind Method	A method of studying a drug or procedure in which both the subjects and investigators are kept unaware of who is actually getting which specific treatment.	Double-Masked Study,Double-Blind Study,Double-Masked Method,Double Blind Method,Double Blind Study,Double Masked Method,Double Masked Study,Double-Blind Methods,Double-Blind Studies,Double-Masked Methods,Double-Masked Studies,Method, Double-Blind,Method, Double-Masked,Methods, Double-Blind,Methods, Double-Masked,Studies, Double-Blind,Studies, Double-Masked,Study, Double-Blind,Study, Double-Masked
D006339	Heart Rate	The number of times the HEART VENTRICLES contract per unit of time, usually per minute.	Cardiac Rate,Chronotropism, Cardiac,Heart Rate Control,Heartbeat,Pulse Rate,Cardiac Chronotropy,Cardiac Chronotropism,Cardiac Rates,Chronotropy, Cardiac,Control, Heart Rate,Heart Rates,Heartbeats,Pulse Rates,Rate Control, Heart,Rate, Cardiac,Rate, Heart,Rate, Pulse