PATTERNS OF PRESSOR RESPONSE TO NOXIOUS STIMULI IN NORMAL, HYPERTENSIVE, AND DIABETIC SUBJECTS*

Abstract

The blood pressure responses to 4 different noxious stimuli were studied in 113 normotensive and hypertensive patients. Subjects with and without diabetes were included in each category. Hypertensives were noted to be more reactive to angiotensin II as well as to the cold pressor test and to simple psychological stimuli. Diabetics displayed decreased reactivity to the cold pressor stimulus, but enhanced responses to angiotensin, as compared with nondiabetics; their responses to the psychological stimuli were not decreased significantly in spite of evidence of impairment of the cold pressor response. The results are discussed in terms of the pertinence of intrinsic responsiveness to pressor stimuli in evaluation of the renal pressor mechanism and the interrelationships between neurogenic and humoral pathways in blood pressor regulation.