Biomaterial Database

Blood pressure and norepinephrine spillover during propranolol infusion in humans. 1985

J D Best, and J B Halter

To determine whether a reflex increase of sympathetic nervous system activity contributes to maintenance of blood pressure during acute beta-adrenergic blockade, we measured plasma norepinephrine levels and norepinephrine kinetics during propranolol administration. During a 90-min infusion of propranolol (10 mg iv + 80 micrograms/min) in 12 normal subjects, heart rate fell from 56 +/- 2 to 49 +/- 2 (SE) beats/min (P less than 0.001), but there was no fall in mean arterial blood pressure (84 +/- 3 mmHg before and 86 +/- 3 mmHg after propranolol). Arterial plasma norepinephrine levels rose from 183 +/- 20 to 250 +/- 29 pg/ml during propranolol (P less than 0.001), suggesting increased sympathetic vasoconstrictor tone. However, isotope dilution studies using tritiated norepinephrine infusion showed that arterial plasma levels of tritiated norepinephrine rose from 743 +/- 78 to 1,002 +/- 101 dpm/ml during propranolol (P less than 0.001), indicating a reduction in the rate of norepinephrine clearance from plasma. The calculated fall in clearance from 1.90 +/- 0.13 to 1.42 +/- 0.11 1/min (P less than 0.001) entirely accounted for the rise in plasma norepinephrine, since the calculated rate of norepinephrine spillover into plasma remained at the base-line level of 340 +/- 40 ng/min during propranolol. In control studies on four subjects, arterial plasma norepinephrine levels and norepinephrine kinetics did not change from base line during the control period. We conclude that maintenance of blood pressure during propranolol infusion is not due to a reflex generalized increase of sympathetic vasoconstrictor tone.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007263	Infusions, Parenteral	The administration of liquid medication, nutrient, or other fluid through some other route than the alimentary canal, usually over minutes or hours, either by gravity flow or often by infusion pumping.	Intra-Abdominal Infusions,Intraperitoneal Infusions,Parenteral Infusions,Peritoneal Infusions,Infusion, Intra-Abdominal,Infusion, Intraperitoneal,Infusion, Parenteral,Infusion, Peritoneal,Infusions, Intra-Abdominal,Infusions, Intraperitoneal,Infusions, Peritoneal,Intra Abdominal Infusions,Intra-Abdominal Infusion,Intraperitoneal Infusion,Parenteral Infusion,Peritoneal Infusion
D007700	Kinetics	The rate dynamics in chemical or physical systems.
D008297	Male		Males
D009638	Norepinephrine	Precursor of epinephrine that is secreted by the ADRENAL MEDULLA and is a widespread central and autonomic neurotransmitter. Norepinephrine is the principal transmitter of most postganglionic sympathetic fibers, and of the diffuse projection system in the brain that arises from the LOCUS CERULEUS. It is also found in plants and is used pharmacologically as a sympathomimetic.	Levarterenol,Levonorepinephrine,Noradrenaline,Arterenol,Levonor,Levophed,Levophed Bitartrate,Noradrenaline Bitartrate,Noradrénaline tartrate renaudin,Norepinephrin d-Tartrate (1:1),Norepinephrine Bitartrate,Norepinephrine Hydrochloride,Norepinephrine Hydrochloride, (+)-Isomer,Norepinephrine Hydrochloride, (+,-)-Isomer,Norepinephrine d-Tartrate (1:1),Norepinephrine l-Tartrate (1:1),Norepinephrine l-Tartrate (1:1), (+,-)-Isomer,Norepinephrine l-Tartrate (1:1), Monohydrate,Norepinephrine l-Tartrate (1:1), Monohydrate, (+)-Isomer,Norepinephrine l-Tartrate (1:2),Norepinephrine l-Tartrate, (+)-Isomer,Norepinephrine, (+)-Isomer,Norepinephrine, (+,-)-Isomer
D011433	Propranolol	A widely used non-cardioselective beta-adrenergic antagonist. Propranolol has been used for MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION; ARRHYTHMIA; ANGINA PECTORIS; HYPERTENSION; HYPERTHYROIDISM; MIGRAINE; PHEOCHROMOCYTOMA; and ANXIETY but adverse effects instigate replacement by newer drugs.	Dexpropranolol,AY-20694,Anaprilin,Anapriline,Avlocardyl,Betadren,Dociton,Inderal,Obsidan,Obzidan,Propanolol,Propranolol Hydrochloride,Rexigen,AY 20694,AY20694,Hydrochloride, Propranolol
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
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000328	Adult	A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available.	Adults
D013564	Sympathetic Nervous System	The thoracolumbar division of the autonomic nervous system. Sympathetic preganglionic fibers originate in neurons of the intermediolateral column of the spinal cord and project to the paravertebral and prevertebral ganglia, which in turn project to target organs. The sympathetic nervous system mediates the body's response to stressful situations, i.e., the fight or flight reactions. It often acts reciprocally to the parasympathetic system.	Nervous System, Sympathetic,Nervous Systems, Sympathetic,Sympathetic Nervous Systems,System, Sympathetic Nervous,Systems, Sympathetic Nervous
D014655	Vascular Resistance	The force that opposes the flow of BLOOD through a vascular bed. It is equal to the difference in BLOOD PRESSURE across the vascular bed divided by the CARDIAC OUTPUT.	Peripheral Resistance,Total Peripheral Resistance,Pulmonary Vascular Resistance,Systemic Vascular Resistance,Peripheral Resistance, Total,Resistance, Peripheral,Resistance, Pulmonary Vascular,Resistance, Systemic Vascular,Resistance, Total Peripheral,Resistance, Vascular,Vascular Resistance, Pulmonary,Vascular Resistance, Systemic