Autonomic Response Patterns During Intravenous Infusion of Epinephrine and Nor-epinephrine

Abstract

The responses of 11 male college students in 12 autonomically innervated variables were recorded during infusion of epinephrine and norepinephrine at rates of from 0.0016 mg/min. to 0.0064 mg/min. Each drug was given in three 5-minute infusion periods preceded and followed by saline infusion. Statistically significant differences between the maximum responses to the drugs were found in 6 variables. Epinephrine produced a marked increase in heart rate and stroke-volume; and greater decreases in finger and face temperature; norepinephrine produced a decrease in heart rate and stroke volume, as well as greater increases in diastolic blood pressure. The vasoconstrictor action of norepinephrine was inferred to be greater upon the blood vessels supplying the skeletal musculature but less than that of epinephrine upon the blood vessels of the skin.