title: Peripheral beta-receptor responsiveness in patients with essential hypertension.
abstract: Peripheral beta-adrenergic receptor sensitivity was characterized in 24 patients with essential hypertension and in 13 age-matched normotensive subjects using an isoproterenol hydrochloride bolus dose-response technique. Decreased beta-receptor responsiveness to this exogenously administered beta-agonist was observed in hypertensive patients; for an equivalent chronotropic effect, higher doses of isoproterenol were required in hypertensive subjects than in normal subjects. Among "normal-renin" hypertensive patients, beta-receptor responsiveness was directly related to furosemide-stimulated plasma renin activity (PRA), suggesting that independently stimulated PRA may provide an indirect estimate of endogenous beta-receptor sensitivity. Hypertensive patients whose mean arterial pressure fell at least 10 mm Hg after four weeks of treatment with hydrochlorothiazide had even further depression in beta-receptor responsiveness, whereas receptor sensitivity was unchanged in patients whose blood pressure was unaffected. Thus, it is unlikely that this decreased receptor responsiveness in patients with untreated essential hypertension is a direct consequence of elevated arterial pressure.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001794:Blood Pressure; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D005665:Furosemide / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D006852:Hydrochlorothiazide / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006973:Hypertension / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007545:Isoproterenol / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011941:Receptors, Adrenergic / Q000502:physiology*; D011943:Receptors, Adrenergic, beta / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D012083:Renin / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D011941:Receptors, Adrenergic; D011943:Receptors, Adrenergic, beta; D006852:Hydrochlorothiazide; D005665:Furosemide; D012083:Renin; D007545:Isoproterenol