Studies in Man on the Relationship of Adrenergic Correlates to Pressor Responsivity

Abstract

Blood pressure elevations were experimentally induced in normal volunteers by the cold pressor test and ischemic pain. Free fatty acids, vanilmandelic acid, and urinary catecholamines were measured as indices of adrenergic arousal. These indices were found to correlate poorly with the pressor responses. It is concluded that factors other than the autono-mic nervous system may be important mediators of pressor responsivity. Furthermore it appears that in this experimental situation the indices of adrenergic arousal appeared to be measuring the emotional factors concomitant to the pressor response rather than the physiologic system that mediates the pressor response.