title: Adrenaline-induced changes in serum electrolytes, ECG, and blood pressure, with Ca-blockade pretreatment.
abstract: Adrenaline infusions (AI) (0.5 micrograms adrenaline per 10 kg body weight per minute over 120 minutes) were given weekly for three weeks to 20 healthy male volunteers aged twenty-one to thirty-eight years. The AI was given after three days' treatment with diltiazem (D), verapamil (V), or placebo (PI) in a single-blind fashion. After pretreatment with Pl, serum potassium (s-K) decreased from 3.93 +/- 0.30 mmol/L (M +/- SD) to 3.33 +/- 0.31 (P less than 0.001) with the greatest change 69.75 +/- 46.24 minutes after the start of the AI. Corresponding values for s-Mg were 0.84 +/- 0.06 to 0.78 +/- 0.05 (P less than 0.01) and 106.50 +/- 36.71 minutes, for s-Ca 2.40 +/- 0.07 to 2.30 +/- 0.08 (P less than 0.01) and 103.50 +/- 36.06 minutes, for s-P 1.05 +/- 0.17 to 0.91 +/- 0.17 (P less than 0.02) and 80.25 +/- 47.25 minutes, and for s-urate 344.79 +/- 50.55 to 329.26 +/- 47.80 (P greater than 0.05) and 63.95 +/- 46.05 minutes. After pretreatment with D, AI produced similar electrolyte changes as after Pl, but the rise in blood glucose was slightly more pronounced and the drop in s-urate less pronounced. The heart rate (HR) before AI after pretreatment with D was lower than after Pl, but the increase during the AI was of the same magnitude. The AI-induced changes in systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) blood pressure after D did not differ significantly from those seen after Pl, and neither did QT and QTc, whereas the PR duration was prolonged (0.18 +/- 0.03 second) when compared with Pl (0.16 +/- 0.02) (P less than 0.05). Although the magnitude of the change in DBP was not influenced, V prolonged the time till the lowest DBP (48.95 +/- 26.38 minutes) when compared with Pl (31.50 +/- 29.16 minutes) (P greater than 0.05). The other variables followed the same pattern as for D. In conclusion AI in healthy volunteers produced a drop in s-K but in addition a drop in s-Mg and s-Ca, the latter appearing later than the drop in s-K. Pretreatment with diltiazem and verapamil did not influence the magnitude of these changes but reduced the drop in s-urate.
authors: Section of Cardiology, Malmö General Hospital, Sweden.
authors: B W
authors: BW
authors: Johansson
authors: O
authors: O
authors: Hansen
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Juul-Möller
authors: O
authors: O
authors: Svensson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects*; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004110:Diltiazem / Q000494:pharmacology; D004562:Electrocardiography; D004573:Electrolytes / Q000097:blood*; D004837:Epinephrine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006321:Heart / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011292:Premedication; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014700:Verapamil / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D004573:Electrolytes; D014700:Verapamil; D004110:Diltiazem; D004837:Epinephrine