title: Severe hypertension induced by naloxone.
abstract: To evaluate the role of endogenous opioid peptides in regulating the blood pressure of hypertensive individuals, we administered the opiate antagonist, naloxone. One individual developed a severe hypertensive response, mean arterial pressure rising from a baseline of 107 mmHg to 147 mmHg 145 min after naloxone injection and infusion. After stopping naloxone, his blood pressure rapidly returned to baseline. Re-challenge with naloxone and clonidine resulted in a modest reduction of blood pressure in contrast to the profound hypotension induced by clonidine alone during a third session. Thus, endogenous opioids appear to regulate blood pressure in some hypertensive patients and opiate antagonists must be administered with caution to these individuals.
authors.forename: E R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Levin
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sharp
authors.forename: J I
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Drayer
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Weber
mesh_terms: D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D003000:Clonidine / Q000494:pharmacology; D004723:Endorphins / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000097:blood / Q000139:chemically induced*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009270:Naloxone / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000494:pharmacology; D001615:beta-Endorphin
chemical_list: D004723:Endorphins; D009270:Naloxone; D001615:beta-Endorphin; D003000:Clonidine