title: A comparison of the effects of human alpha calcitonin gene-related peptide and glyceryl trinitrate on regional blood velocity in man.
abstract: 1. Human alpha calcitonin gene-related peptide (h alpha CGRP) is a potent vasodilator which in doses up to 1.5 micrograms min-1 i.v. produces little or no fall in blood pressure in normal volunteers, but does cause a substantial tachycardia. 2. We have explored the underlying mechanism of this effect by comparing h alpha CGRP infused so as to maintain heart rate 25-30% above baseline with glyceryl trinitrate (GTN) in a dose sufficient to maintain a throbbing headache. 3. Ten normal volunteers were studied. In addition to blood pressure and heart rate, blood velocity and pulsatility index (PI) were determined from Doppler signals recorded from the internal and external carotid, renal and femoral arteries. 4. Following h alpha CGRP blood pressure (mean +/- s.d., mm Hg) did not significantly change: 120 +/- 10/70 +/- 7 before compared with 121 +/- 12/67 +/- 7 during h alpha CGRP infusion. Heart rate (mean +/- s.d., beats min-1) increased from 62 +/- 8 to 86 +/- 10 (P less than 0.0001). In contrast the blood pressure fell following GTN: 124 +/- 12/74 +/- 8 before compared with 111 +/- 13/62 +/- 6 following treatment (P less than 0.02). Heart rate did not change following GTN: 64 +/- 9 compared with 69 +/- 10. 5. GTN significantly increased PI (mean +/- s.d.) in the common carotid artery from 2.8 +/- 0.5 to 3.4 +/- 0.5 (P less than 0.003) while h alpha CGRP increased PI in the internal carotid from 1.3 +/- 0.2 to 2.1 +/- 0.4 (P less than 0.001).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Department of Materia Medica, University of Glasgow.
authors.forename: N J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: MacDonald
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Butters
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: O'Shaughnessy
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Riddell
authors.forename: P C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Rubin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000187:drug effects; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000187:drug effects; D005269:Femur / Q000098:blood supply; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D005996:Nitroglycerin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012039:Regional Blood Flow / Q000187:drug effects*; D012079:Renal Circulation / Q000187:drug effects; D012212:Rheology
chemical_list: D005996:Nitroglycerin; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide