The Peripheral Platelet Count in Response to Intravenous Infusion of Isoprenaline

Abstract

Five healthy male volunteers received i.v. infusions of isoprenaline in doses of 0.03, 0.06 and 0.09 .mu.g .times. kg-1 .times. min-1 over a period of 6 min. A statistically significant decrease in the peripheral platelet count was obtained, but no dose-response-curve for isoprenaline was observed. While an i.v. infusion of epinephrine causes a release of platelets from the exchangeable splenic platelet pool, isoprenaline might have the opposite effect on the spleen, causing a decrease of platelets in the peripheral blood.