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. 1990;30(Suppl 1):69S–74S. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2125.1990.tb05471.x

The role of 5-hydroxytryptamine and 5-hydroxytryptaminergic mechanisms in hypertension

P A van zwieten, G J Blauw, P van Brummelen
PMCID: PMC1368101  PMID: 2268509

Abstract

1 The possible role of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and 5-HT-receptors in hypertension, already suggested by Page in 1954, has been subject to a renaissance of interest owing to the development of antihypertensive drugs which interact with 5-HT-receptors. These drugs, like ketanserin, urapidil and flesinoxan are used as tools to study the role of 5-HT and its receptors in hypertension.

2 The following arguments would plead in favour of a certain role of 5-HT and 5-HT-receptors in the pathogenesis and maintenance of hypertension: hyperresponsiveness of blood vessels from hypertensive patients and animals to 5-HT-induced constriction; the antihypertensive/vasodilator activity of the 5-HT2-receptor antagonist ketanserin; enhanced sensitivity of platelets from hypertensives to 5-HT.

3 However, at least as many arguments would deny a role of peripheral 5-HT in hypertension, like for instance: the fact that 5-HT is not a generally accepted pressor agent, whereas its concentration in the circulating blood is subthreshold; the hyperresponsiveness of vessels from hypertensives is not specific for 5-HT; the elevated local concentration of 5-HT released by platelets is mainly limited to the microcirculation; the 5-HT2-receptor antagonist ketanserin is the only agent of this type which lowers blood pressure, other 5-HT2-receptor blockers like ritanserin and LY 53587 being inactive.

4 The various data and arguments available do not unequivocally support a relevant role of peripheral 5-HT and its receptors in hypertensive disease. 5-HT2-receptor blockade may, however, have a favourable effect on the microcirculation under pathological conditions.

5 Finally, it may be speculated that central mechanisms of blood pressure regulation, which respond to 5-HT1A-receptor stimulation with drugs like urapidil and flesinoxan, may play a role in hypertension.

Keywords: 5-hydroxytryptamine, hypertension

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Selected References

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

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