Skip to main content
NCBI home page
The Journal of Clinical Investigation logoLink to The Journal of Clinical Investigation
. 1972 Jun;51(6):1469–1475. doi: 10.1172/JCI106943

Effects of adrenergic stimulation on ventilation in man

Donald D Heistad 1,2, Robert C Wheeler 1,2, Allyn L Mark 1,2, Phillip G Schmid 1,2, Francois M Abboud 1,2
PMCID: PMC292284  PMID: 4336940

Abstract

The mechanism by which catecholamines affect ventilation in man is not known. Ventilatory responses to catecholamines were observed in normal subjects before and after adrenergic receptor blockade. Intravenous infusions of norepinephrine and isoproterenol caused significant increases in minute volume and decreases in end-tidal PCo2 which were blocked by the administration of propranolol, a beta adrenergic receptor blocker. The hyperventilatory response to hypoxia was not altered by propranolol.

Intravenous infusion of phenylephrine caused a small but significant decrease in minute volume which was antagonized by phentolamine, an alpha adrenergic receptor blocker. Angiotensin, a nonadrenergic pressor agent, also decreased minute volume significantly.

100% oxygen was administered to suppress arterial chemoreceptors. Increases in minute volume and decreases in arterial PCo2 in response to norepinephrine and isoproterenol were blocked by breathing 100% oxygen. The decrease in minute volume during phenylephrine was not altered by 100% oxygen.

The results indicate that: (a) beta adrenergic receptors mediate the hyperventilatory response to norepinephrine and isoproterenol but not to hypoxia. (b) the pressor agents phenylephrine and angiotensin decrease ventilation, and (c) suppression of chemoreceptors blocks the ventilatory response to norepinephrine and isoproterenol but not to phenylephrine. Implications concerning the interaction of adrenergic receptors and chemoreceptors with respect to the hyperventilatory response to catecholamines are discussed.

Full text

PDF
1469

Selected References

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

  1. BARCROFT H., BASNAYAKE V., CELANDER O., COBBOLD A. F., CUNNINGHAM D. J., JUKES M. G., YOUNG I. M. The effect of carbon dioxide on the respiratory response to noradrenaline in man. J Physiol. 1957 Aug 6;137(3):365–373. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1957.sp005819. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. CUNNINGHAM D. J., HEY E. N., PATRICK J. M., LLOYD B. B. The effect of noradrenaline infusion on the relation between pulmonary ventilation and the alveolar PO2 and PCO2 in man. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 1963 Jun 24;109:756–771. doi: 10.1111/j.1749-6632.1963.tb13504.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Chiocchio S. R., Biscardi A. M., Tramezzani J. H. Catecholamines in the carotid body of the cat. Nature. 1966 Nov 19;212(5064):834–835. doi: 10.1038/212834a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. DEJOURS P. Chemoreflexes in breathing. Physiol Rev. 1962 Jul;42:335–358. doi: 10.1152/physrev.1962.42.3.335. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. DEKOCK L. L., DUNN A. E. ULTRA-STRUCTURE OF CAROTID BODY TISSUE AS SEEN IN SERIAL SECTIONS. Nature. 1964 May 23;202:821–822. doi: 10.1038/202821b0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. ECKSTEIN J. W., HAMILTON W. K. Effects of isoproterenol on peripheral venous tone and transmural right atrial pressure in man. J Clin Invest. 1959 Feb;38(2):342–346. doi: 10.1172/JCI103807. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Greenfield J. C., Jr, Tindall G. T. Effect of norepinephrine, epinephrine, and angiotensin on blood flow in the internal carotid artery of man. J Clin Invest. 1968 Jul;47(7):1672–1684. doi: 10.1172/JCI105858. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. HUNT C. C. The effect of sympathetic stimulation on mammalian muscle spindles. J Physiol. 1960 May;151:332–341. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1960.sp006441. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Heistad D. D., Wheeler R. C. Effect of acute hypoxia on vascular responsiveness in man. I. Responsiveness to lower body negative pressure and ice on the forehead. II. Responses to norepinephrine and angiotensin. 3. Effect of hypoxia and hypocapnia. J Clin Invest. 1970 Jun;49(6):1252–1265. doi: 10.1172/JCI106338. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Heistad D. D., Wheeler R. C., Mark A. L., Abboud F. M., Schmid P. G. Effects of adrenergic stimulation on ventilation in man. J Lab Clin Med. 1971 Nov;78(5):800–800. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Kontos H. A., Lower R. R. Role of beta-adrenergic receptors in the circulatory response to hypoxia. Am J Physiol. 1969 Sep;217(3):756–763. doi: 10.1152/ajplegacy.1969.217.3.756. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Lundholm L., Svedmyr N. Studies on the stimulating effects of adrenaline and noradrenaline on respiration in man. Acta Physiol Scand. 1966 May;67(1):65–75. doi: 10.1111/j.1748-1716.1966.tb03288.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Mills E., Sampson S. R. Respiratory responses to electrical stimulation of the cervical sympathetic nerves in decerebrate, unanaesthetized cats. J Physiol. 1969 Jun;202(2):271–282. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1969.sp008810. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Oliver G., Schäfer E. A. The Physiological Effects of Extracts of the Suprarenal Capsules. J Physiol. 1895 Jul 18;18(3):230–276. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1895.sp000564. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Purves M. J. The role of the cervical sympathetic nerve in the regulation of oxygen consumption of the carotid body of the cat. J Physiol. 1970 Aug;209(2):417–431. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1970.sp009172. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. STEINBERG D., NESTEL P. J., BUSKIRK E. R., THOMPSON R. H. CALORIGENIC EFFECT OF NOREPINEPHRINE CORRELATED WITH PLASMA FREE FATTY ACID TURNOVER AND OXIDATION. J Clin Invest. 1964 Feb;43:167–176. doi: 10.1172/JCI104901. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. WHELAN R. F., YOUNG I. M. The effect of adrenaline and noradrenaline infusions on respiration in man. Br J Pharmacol Chemother. 1953 Mar;8(1):98–102. doi: 10.1111/j.1476-5381.1953.tb00759.x. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Journal of Clinical Investigation are provided here courtesy of American Society for Clinical Investigation

RESOURCES