Skip to main content
PMC home page
Archives of Emergency Medicine logoLink to Archives of Emergency Medicine
. 1986 Mar;3(1):20–27. doi: 10.1136/emj.3.1.20

Plasma catecholamines in the acute phase of the response to myocardial infarction.

R A Little, K N Frayn, P E Randall, H B Stoner, C Morton, D W Yates, G S Laing
PMCID: PMC1285314  PMID: 3524599

Abstract

Plasma catecholamine (adrenaline, noradrenaline and dopamine) concentrations have been measured in 48 patients within 6 hours of the onset of symptoms of an acute myocardial infarction. The concentrations of all three catecholamines were elevated, and there were positive correlations between plasma noradrenaline concentrations and the severity of infarct as assessed by the coronary prognostic index and serum LDH levels. Plasma glucose, free fatty acid, lactate and cortisol levels were elevated while insulin levels were reduced. The site of infarction did not influence the pattern of hormonal and metabolic responses although heart rate was significantly lower in the inferior than in the anterior infarct group. Seven patients went into ventricular fibrillation shortly (less than 1.8 h) after blood sampling. Plasma catecholamine concentrations were markedly elevated in these patients with levels similar to those previously reported after cardiac arrest.

Full text

PDF
24

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Baber N. S., Lewis J. A. Confidence in results of beta-blocker postinfarction trials. Br Med J (Clin Res Ed) 1982 Jun 12;284(6331):1749–1750. doi: 10.1136/bmj.284.6331.1749. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Bertel O., Bühler F. R., Baitsch G., Ritz R., Burkart F. Plasma adrenaline and noradrenaline in patients with acute myocardial infarction. Relationship to ventricular arrhythmias of varying severity. Chest. 1982 Jul;82(1):64–68. doi: 10.1378/chest.82.1.64. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Ceremuzyński L. Hormonal and metabolic reactions evoked by acute myocardial infarction. Circ Res. 1981 Jun;48(6 Pt 1):767–776. doi: 10.1161/01.res.48.6.767. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Clutter W. E., Bier D. M., Shah S. D., Cryer P. E. Epinephrine plasma metabolic clearance rates and physiologic thresholds for metabolic and hemodynamic actions in man. J Clin Invest. 1980 Jul;66(1):94–101. doi: 10.1172/JCI109840. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Cryer P. E. Physiology and pathophysiology of the human sympathoadrenal neuroendocrine system. N Engl J Med. 1980 Aug 21;303(8):436–444. doi: 10.1056/NEJM198008213030806. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Esler M., Jennings G., Leonard P., Sacharias N., Burke F., Johns J., Blombery P. Contribution of individual organs to total noradrenaline release in humans. Acta Physiol Scand Suppl. 1984;527:11–16. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Foster K. J., Alberti K. G., Hinks L., Lloyd B., Postle A., Smythe P., Turnell D. C., Walton R. Blood intermediary metabolite and insulin concentrations after an overnight fast: reference ranges for adults, and interrelations. Clin Chem. 1978 Sep;24(9):1568–1572. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Frayn K. N., Little R. A., Maycock P. F., Stoner H. B. The relationship of plasma catecholamines to acute metabolic and hormonal responses to injury in man. Circ Shock. 1985;16(3):229–240. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Frayn K. N., Maycock P. F. Sample preparation with ion-exchange resin before liquid-chromatographic determination of plasma catecholamines. Clin Chem. 1983 Jul;29(7):1426–1428. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Godfrey S., Davies C. T., Wozniak E., Barnes C. A. Cardio-respiratory response to exercise in normal children. Clin Sci. 1971 May;40(5):419–431. doi: 10.1042/cs0400419. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Halter J. B., Stratton J. R., Pfeifer M. A. Plasma catecholamines and hemodynamic responses to stress states in man. Acta Physiol Scand Suppl. 1984;527:31–38. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Januszewicz W., Sznajderman M., Ciswicka-Sznajderman M., Wocial B., Rymaszewski Z. Plasma free fatty acid and catecholamine levels in patients with acute myocardial infarction. Br Heart J. 1971 Sep;33(5):716–718. doi: 10.1136/hrt.33.5.716. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Karlsberg R. P., Cryer P. E., Roberts R. Serial plasma catecholamine response early in the course of clinical acute myocardial infarction: relationship to infarct extent and mortality. Am Heart J. 1981 Jul;102(1):24–29. doi: 10.1016/0002-8703(81)90408-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Little R. A., Frayn K. N., Randall P. E., Stoner H. B., Maycock P. F. Plasma catecholamine concentrations in acute states of stress and trauma. Arch Emerg Med. 1985 Mar;2(1):46–47. doi: 10.1136/emj.2.1.46. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Little R. A., Frayn K. N., Randall P. E., Stoner H. B., Yates D. W., Laing G. S., Kumar S., Banks J. M. Plasma catecholamines in patients with acute myocardial infarction and in cardiac arrest. Q J Med. 1985 Feb;54(214):133–140. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Little R. A., Frayn K. N., Randall P. E., Yates D. W. Plasma catecholamines and cardiac arrest. Lancet. 1985 Aug 31;2(8453):509–510. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(85)90451-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Mannelli M., Gheri R. G., Selli C., Turini D., Pampanini A., Giusti G., Serio M. A study on human adrenal secretion. Measurement of epinephrine, norepinephrine, dopamine and cortisol in peripheral and adrenal venous blood under surgical stress. J Endocrinol Invest. 1982 Mar-Apr;5(2):91–95. doi: 10.1007/BF03350497. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Nelson P. G. Effect of heparin on serum free-fatty-acids, plasma catecholamines, and the incidence of arrhythmias following acute myocardial infarction. Br Med J. 1970 Sep 26;3(5725):735–737. doi: 10.1136/bmj.3.5725.735. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Oliver M. F., Kurien V. A., Greenwood T. W. Relation between serum-free-fatty acids and arrhythmias and death after acute myocardial infarction. Lancet. 1968 Apr 6;1(7545):710–714. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(68)92163-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Peel A. A., Semple T., Wang I., Lancaster W. M., Dall J. L. A CORONARY PROGNOSTIC INDEX FOR GRADING THE SEVERITY OF INFARCTION. Br Heart J. 1962 Nov;24(6):745–760. doi: 10.1136/hrt.24.6.745. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Perez-Gomez F., Garcia-Aguado A. Origin of ventricular reflexes caused by coronary arteriography. Br Heart J. 1977 Sep;39(9):967–973. doi: 10.1136/hrt.39.9.967. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. SZENTIVANYI M., JUHASZ-NAGY A. Two types of coronary vasomotor reflexes. Q J Exp Physiol Cogn Med Sci. 1962 Oct;47:289–298. doi: 10.1113/expphysiol.1962.sp001611. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Siggers D. C., Salter C., Fluck D. C. Serial plasma adrenaline and noradrenaline levels in myocardial infarction using a new double isotope technique. Br Heart J. 1971 Nov;33(6):878–883. doi: 10.1136/hrt.33.6.878. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. Stoner H. B., Frayn K. N., Barton R. N., Threlfall C. J., Little R. A. The relationships between plasma substrates and hormones and the severity of injury in 277 recently injured patients. Clin Sci (Lond) 1979 Jan;56(6):563–573. doi: 10.1042/cs0560563. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. Tansey M. J., Opie L. H. Relation between plasma free fatty acids and arrhythmias within the first twelve hours of acute myocardial infarction. Lancet. 1983 Aug 20;2(8347):419–422. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(83)90388-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  26. Thorén P. Role of cardiac vagal C-fibers in cardiovascular control. Rev Physiol Biochem Pharmacol. 1979;86:1–94. doi: 10.1007/BFb0031531. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  27. Vetter N. J., Strange R. C., Adams W., Oliver M. F. Initial metabolic and hormonal response to acute myocardial infarction. Lancet. 1974 Feb 23;1(7852):284–288. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(74)92595-1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  28. Wagner G. S., Freye C. J., Palmeri S. T., Roark S. F., Stack N. C., Ideker R. E., Harrell F. E., Jr, Selvester R. H. Evaluation of a QRS scoring system for estimating myocardial infarct size. I. Specificity and observer agreement. Circulation. 1982 Feb;65(2):342–347. doi: 10.1161/01.cir.65.2.342. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  29. Wallin B. G. Muscle sympathetic activity and plasma concentrations of noradrenaline. Acta Physiol Scand Suppl. 1984;527:21–24. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  30. Webb S. W., Adgey A. A., Pantridge J. F. Autonomic disturbance at onset of acute myocardial infarction. Br Med J. 1972 Jul 8;3(5818):89–92. doi: 10.1136/bmj.3.5818.89. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Archives of Emergency Medicine are provided here courtesy of BMJ Publishing Group

RESOURCES