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Studies on the autonomic nervous system in borderline hypertension

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Summary

Parameters of the autonomic nervous system were studied in normotensive subjects (NT; standing blood pressure (BP)≤125/85 mmHg) and in subjects with borderline hypertension (BHT; 140/90≤standing BP<60/100 mmHg). No differences in plasma noradrenaline and adrenaline levels were found between NT and BHT subjects, neither at rest nor during exercise at 75% of maximum work capacity. The dose of noradrenaline required to increase systolic BP by 10 mmHg was significantly higher in NT than in BHT subjects (5.13±0.42 vs 3.50±0.57 µg · min−1). No difference between NT and BHT subjects was found in the dose of isoprenaline required to increase heart rate by 20 beats · min−1 (1.21±0.12 vs 1.09±0.11 µg · min−1). Resting salivary flow was significantly lower in BHT than in NT subjects (0.39±0.06 vs 0.98±0.06 g · min−1), suggesting decreased parasympathetic activity in the former group. The enhanced pressor effect of noradrenaline, together with the decreased parasympathetic activity, could explain the elevated blood pressure and heart rate in subjects with borderline hypertension.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pharmacology and Internal Medicine, University of Limburg, Maastricht, The Netherlands

    J. W. Henquet, M. van Baak, M. Schols & K. H. Rahn

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  1. J. W. Henquet
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  2. M. van Baak
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  3. M. Schols
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  4. K. H. Rahn
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Henquet, J.W., van Baak, M., Schols, M. et al. Studies on the autonomic nervous system in borderline hypertension. Eur J Clin Pharmacol 22, 285–288 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00548394

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00548394

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