Abstract
Baroreflex sensitivity and cardiopulmonary blood volume were determined in 95 men, including normotensive and hypertensive subjects with normal renal function and balanced sodium intake and urinary output. Baroreflex sensitivity was estimated by determining the slope of the regression line relating the increase of systolic pressure to the cardiac slowing after transient rises of arterial pressure. A technique of gradual atropinisation was used to evaluate the parasympathetic mediated component of the reflex. With this method, it was possible to calculate the exact atropine dose abolishing the reflex sensitivity. This index was not dependent on age. It was negatively correlated to the diastolic pressure in normotensive patients but not in hypertensive patients. The ratio between the cardiopulmonary and the total blood volume was considered as an index of sympathetic venous tone. This ratio was positively correlated to the diastolic pressure in normotensive patients, but not in hypertensive patients. This study strongly suggests that a precise sympathetic-parasympathetic balance existed in the normotensive patients. This balance was disrupted in the hypertensive patients pointing to abnormalities in the autonomic nervous system of permanently hypertensive patients.
Full text
PDF






Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
- Alexandre J. M., London G. M., Chevillard C., Lemaire P., Safar M. E., Weiss Y. The meaning of dopamine beta-hydroxylase in essential hypertension. Clin Sci Mol Med. 1975 Dec;49(6):573–579. doi: 10.1042/cs0490573. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Bader H. Dependence of wall stress in the human thoracic aorta on age and pressure. Circ Res. 1967 Mar;20(3):354–361. doi: 10.1161/01.res.20.3.354. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Berglund G., Wikstrand J., Wallentin I., Wilhelmsen L. Sodium excretion and sympathetic activity in relation to severity of hypertensive disease. Lancet. 1976 Feb 14;1(7955):325–328. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Bristow J. D., Honour A. J., Pickering G. W., Sleight P., Smyth H. S. Diminished baroreflex sensitivity in high blood pressure. Circulation. 1969 Jan;39(1):48–54. doi: 10.1161/01.cir.39.1.48. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Chalmers J. P. Brain amines and models of experimental hypertension. Circ Res. 1975 Apr;36(4):469–480. doi: 10.1161/01.res.36.4.469. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- DeQuattro V., Miura Y. Neurogenic factors in human hypertension: mechanism or myth? Am J Med. 1973 Sep;55(3):362–378. doi: 10.1016/0002-9343(73)90136-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Eckberg D. L., Drabinsky M., Braunwald E. Defective cardiac parasympathetic control in patients with heart disease. N Engl J Med. 1971 Oct 14;285(16):877–883. doi: 10.1056/NEJM197110142851602. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Ellis C. N., Julius S. Role of central blood volume in hyperkinetic borderline hypertension. Br Heart J. 1973 Apr;35(4):450–455. doi: 10.1136/hrt.35.4.450. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Frohlich E. D., Tarazi R. C., Ulrych M., Dustan H. P., Page I. H. Tilt test for investigating a neural component in hypertension. Its correlation with clinical characteristics. Circulation. 1967 Sep;36(3):387–393. doi: 10.1161/01.cir.36.3.387. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- GELLHORN E. THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STATE OF THE CENTRAL AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM FOR QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE ASPECTS OF SOME CARDIOVASCULAR REACTIONS. Am Heart J. 1964 Jan;67:106–120. doi: 10.1016/0002-8703(64)90406-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- GLICK G., BRAUNWALD E. RELATIVE ROLES OF THE SYMPATHETIC AND PARASYMPATHETIC NERVOUS SYSTEMS IN THE REFLEX CONTROL OF HEART RATE. Circ Res. 1965 Apr;16:363–375. doi: 10.1161/01.res.16.4.363. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Gribbin B., Pickering T. G., Sleight P., Peto R. Effect of age and high blood pressure on baroreflex sensitivity in man. Circ Res. 1971 Oct;29(4):424–431. doi: 10.1161/01.res.29.4.424. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Haeusler G. Cardiovascular regulation by central adrenergic mechanisms and its alteration by hypotensive drugs. Circ Res. 1975 Jun;36(6 Suppl 1):223–232. doi: 10.1161/01.res.36.6.223. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Jose A. D., Taylor R. R. Autonomic blockade by propranolol and atropine to study intrinsic myocardial function in man. J Clin Invest. 1969 Nov;48(11):2019–2031. doi: 10.1172/JCI106167. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Julius S., Pascual A. V., London R. Role of parasympathetic inhibition in the hyperkinetic type of borderline hypertension. Circulation. 1971 Sep;44(3):413–418. doi: 10.1161/01.cir.44.3.413. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Klevans L. R., Gebber G. L. Facilitatory forebrain influence on cardiac component of baroreceptor reflexes. Am J Physiol. 1970 Nov;219(5):1235–1241. doi: 10.1152/ajplegacy.1970.219.5.1235. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- NALEFSKI L. A., BROWN C. F. G. Action of atropine on the cardiovascular system in normal persons. AMA Arch Intern Med. 1950 Dec;86(6):898–907. doi: 10.1001/archinte.1950.00230180103009. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Pickering T. G., Gribbin B., Petersen E. S., Cunningham D. J., Sleight P. Comparison of the effects of exercise and posture on the baroreflex in man. Cardiovasc Res. 1971 Oct;5(4):582–586. doi: 10.1093/cvr/5.4.582. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Pickering T. G., Gribbin B., Petersen E. S., Cunningham D. J., Sleight P. Effects of autonomic blockade on the baroreflex in man at rest and during exercise. Circ Res. 1972 Feb;30(2):177–185. doi: 10.1161/01.res.30.2.177. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Reid J. L., Zivin J. A., Kopin I. J. Central and peripheral adrenergic mechanisms in the development of deoxycorticosterone-saline hypertension in rats. Circ Res. 1975 Nov;37(5):569–579. doi: 10.1161/01.res.37.5.569. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Smyth H. S., Sleight P., Pickering G. W. Reflex regulation of arterial pressure during sleep in man. A quantitative method of assessing baroreflex sensitivity. Circ Res. 1969 Jan;24(1):109–121. doi: 10.1161/01.res.24.1.109. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Takeshita A., Tanaka S., Kuroiwa A., Nakamura M. Reduced baroreceptor sensitivity in borderline hypertension. Circulation. 1975 Apr;51(4):738–742. doi: 10.1161/01.cir.51.4.738. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]