Skip to main content
PMC home page
British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology logoLink to British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology
. 1981 Sep;12(3):369–374. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2125.1981.tb01228.x

Effect of beta-adrenergic receptor blockade with propranolol on the response of plasma catecholamines and renin activity to upright tilting in normal subjects.

R Vandongen, L Davidson, L J Beilin, A E Barden
PMCID: PMC1401815  PMID: 6271155

Abstract

1 Relationship between plasma catecholamines (measured as noradrenaline and adrenaline) and plasma renin activity (PRA) were examined at rest and during passive head-up tilting for 30 min in nine normal subjects, before and after treatment with propranolol 160 mg daily for 7 days. 2 Noradrenaline (NA) and adrenaline (A) increased substantially after tilting for 15 min. There were no changes in PRA. After 30 min tilting, NA remained elevated, whereas A had returned to resting levels. A significant increase in PRA was apparent at 30 min. Pulse rate and diastolic blood pressure increased progressively during tilting. Systolic pressure did not change. 3 Treatment with propranolol reduced pulse rate and systolic blood pressure at rest and during tilting. Resting catecholamine concentrations and the response of NA to tilting were unaffected. In contrast, treatment prolonged the A response leading to significantly higher levels after 30 min tilting. Propranolol reduced PRA in six of the nine subjects and prevented the increase with tilting observed before treatment.

Full text

PDF
372

Selected References

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

  1. Brecht H. M., Banthien F., Ernst W., Schoeppe W. Increased plasma noradrenaline concentrations in essential hypertension and their decrease after long-term treatment with a beta-receptor-blocking agent (prindolol). Clin Sci Mol Med Suppl. 1976 Dec;3:485S–488S. doi: 10.1042/cs051485s. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Celuch S. M., Dubocovich M. L., Lander S. Z. Stimulation of presynaptic beta-adrenoceptors enhances [3H]-noradrenaline release druing nerve stimulation in the perfused cat spleen. Br J Pharmacol. 1978 May;63(1):97–109. doi: 10.1111/j.1476-5381.1978.tb07779.x. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Coltart D. J., Shand D. G. Plasma propranolol levels in the quaniitative assessment of beta-adrenergic blockade in man. Br Med J. 1970 Sep 26;3(5725):731–734. doi: 10.1136/bmj.3.5725.731. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Davies R., Slater J. D. Is the adrenergic control of renin release dominant in man? Lancet. 1976 Sep 18;2(7986):594–596. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(76)90665-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Distler A., Keim H. J., Cordes U., Philipp T., Wolff H. P. Sympathetic responsiveness and antihypertensive effect of beta-receptor blockade in essential hypertension. Am J Med. 1978 Mar;64(3):446–451. doi: 10.1016/0002-9343(78)90231-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Esler M. D., Nestel P. J. Renin and sympathetic nervous system responsiveness to adrenergic stimuli in essential hypertension. Am J Cardiol. 1973 Oct;32(5):643–649. doi: 10.1016/s0002-9149(73)80057-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Galbo H., Holst J. J., Christensen N. J., Hilsted J. Glucagon and plasma catecholamines during beta-receptor blockade in exercising man. J Appl Physiol. 1976 Jun;40(6):855–863. doi: 10.1152/jappl.1976.40.6.855. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Guyton A. C., Coleman T. G., Cowley A. V., Jr, Scheel K. W., Manning R. D., Jr, Norman R. A., Jr Arterial pressure regulation. Overriding dominance of the kidneys in long-term regulation and in hypertension. Am J Med. 1972 May;52(5):584–594. doi: 10.1016/0002-9343(72)90050-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Hackett L. P., Dusci L. J. The analysis of propranolol in human serum using high-performance liquid chromatography. Clin Toxicol. 1979;15(1):63–66. doi: 10.3109/15563657908992480. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Hansen J. F., Hesse B., Christensen N. J. Enhanced sympathetic nervous activity after intravenous propranolol in ischaemic heart disease: plasma noradrenaline splanchnic blood flow and mixed venous oxygen saturation at rest and during exercise. Eur J Clin Invest. 1978 Feb;8(1):31–36. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2362.1978.tb00805.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Hörtnagl H., Benedict C. R., Grahame-Smith D. G. A sensitive radioenzymatic assay for adrenaline and noradrenaline in plasma. Br J Clin Pharmacol. 1977 Oct;4(5):553–558. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2125.1977.tb00785.x. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Irving M. H., Britton B. J., Wood W. G., Padgham C., Carruthers M. Effects of beta adrenergic blockade on plasma catecholamines in exercise. Nature. 1974 Apr 5;248(448):531–533. doi: 10.1038/248531a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Johnson M. D., Shier D. N., Barger A. C. Circulating catecholamines and control of plasma renin activity in conscious dogs. Am J Physiol. 1979 Mar;236(3):H463–H470. doi: 10.1152/ajpheart.1979.236.3.H463. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Jones D. H., Hamilton C. A., Reid J. L. Choice of control groups in the appraisal of sympathetic nervous activity in essential hypertension. Clin Sci (Lond) 1979 Oct;57(4):339–344. doi: 10.1042/cs0570339. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Lewis P. J., Haeusler G. Reduction in sympathetic nervous activity as a mechanism for hypotensive effect of propranolol. Nature. 1975 Jul 31;256(5516):440–440. doi: 10.1038/256440a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Lijnen P. J., Amery A. K., Fagard R. H., Reybrouck T. M., Moerman E. J., De Schaepdryver A. F. The effects of beta-adrenoceptor blockade on renin, angiotensin, aldosterone and catecholamines at rest and during exercise. Br J Clin Pharmacol. 1979 Feb;7(2):175–181. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2125.1979.tb00918.x. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Mancia G., Ludbrook J., Ferrari A., Gregorini L., Zanchetti A. Baroreceptor reflexes in human hypertension. Circ Res. 1978 Aug;43(2):170–177. doi: 10.1161/01.res.43.2.170. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Mathias C. J., Christensen N. J., Corbett J. L., Frankel H. L., Goodwin T. J., Peart W. S. Plasma catecholamines, plasma renin activity and plasma aldosterone in tetraplegic man, horizontal and tilted. Clin Sci Mol Med. 1975 Oct;49(4):291–299. doi: 10.1042/cs0490291. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. McGrath B. P., Beilin L. J., Schofield T., Benedict C. R., Barker N. P., Cooper R. Home blood pressure monitoring and changes in plasma catecholamines during once or twice daily treatment with atenolol in patients with mild hypertension. Aust N Z J Med. 1979 Aug;9(4):374–381. doi: 10.1111/j.1445-5994.1979.tb04162.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Morganti A., Sealey J. E., Lopez-Ovejero J. A., Pickering T. G., Laragh J. H. The substitutive role of ACTH in supporting aldosterone response to head-up tilt during acute renin suppression in patients with essential hypertension. Hypertension. 1979 Mar-Apr;1(2):130–135. doi: 10.1161/01.hyp.1.2.130. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Mueller H. S., Ayres S. M. Propranolol decreases sympathetic nervous activity reflected by plasma catecholamines during evolution of myocardial infarction in man. J Clin Invest. 1980 Feb;65(2):338–346. doi: 10.1172/JCI109677. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Oparil S., Vassaux C., Sanders C. A., Haber E. Role of renin in acute postural homeostasis. Circulation. 1970 Jan;41(1):89–95. doi: 10.1161/01.cir.41.1.89. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Peuler J. D., Johnson G. A. Simultaneous single isotope radioenzymatic assay of plasma norepinephrine, epinephrine and dopamine. Life Sci. 1977 Sep 1;21(5):625–636. doi: 10.1016/0024-3205(77)90070-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. Rahn K. H., Gierlichs H. W., Planz G., Planz R., Schols M., Stephany W. Studies on the effects of propanolol on plasma catecholamine levels in patients with essential hypertension. Eur J Clin Invest. 1978 Jun;8(3):143–148. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2362.1978.tb00827.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. Reit E. Actions of angiotensin on the adrenal medulla and autonomic ganglia. Fed Proc. 1972 Jul-Aug;31(4):1338–1343. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  26. Robertson D., Shand D. G., Hollifield J. W., Nies A. S., Frölich J. C., Oates J. A. Alterations in the responses of the sympathetic nervous system and renin in borderline hypertension. Hypertension. 1979 Mar-Apr;1(2):118–124. doi: 10.1161/01.hyp.1.2.118. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  27. Saar N., Gordon R. D. Variability of plasma catecholamine levels: age, duration of posture and time of day. Br J Clin Pharmacol. 1979 Oct;8(4):353–358. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2125.1979.tb04718.x. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  28. Sancho J., Re R., Burton J., Barger A. C., Haber E. The role of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system in cardiovascular homeostasis in normal human subjects. Circulation. 1976 Mar;53(3):400–405. doi: 10.1161/01.cir.53.3.400. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  29. Vandongen R., Peart W. S., Boyd G. W. Andrenergic stimulation of renin secretion in the isolated perfused rat kidney. Circ Res. 1973 Feb;32(2):290–296. doi: 10.1161/01.res.32.2.290. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  30. Watson R. D., Page A. J., Littler W. A., Jones D. H., Reid J. L. Plasma noradrenaline concentrations at different vascular sites during rest and isometric and dynamic exercise. Clin Sci (Lond) 1979 Dec;57(6):545–547. doi: 10.1042/cs0570545. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  31. Watson R. D., Stallard T. J., Littler W. A. Effects of beta-adrenoreceptor antagonists on sino-aortic baroreflex sensitivity and blood pressure in hypertensive man. Clin Sci (Lond) 1979 Sep;57(3):241–247. doi: 10.1042/cs0570241. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  32. de Leeuw P. W., Falke H. E., Kho T. L., Vandongen R., Wester A., Birkenhäger W. H. Effects of beta-adrenergic blockade on diurnal variability of blood pressure and plasma noradrenaline levels. Acta Med Scand. 1977;202(5):389–392. doi: 10.1111/j.0954-6820.1977.tb16849.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  33. von Euler U. S., Lishajko F. Inhibitory action of adrenergic blocking agents on reuptake and net uptake of noradrenaline in nerve granules. Acta Physiol Scand. 1968 Nov;74(3):501–506. doi: 10.1111/j.1748-1716.1968.tb04258.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology are provided here courtesy of British Pharmacological Society

RESOURCES