title: [Central autonomic control in human hypertension].
abstract: Sympathetic nerve fibers innervating the heart and blood vessels exhibit tonic activity which originates from vasomotor neurons in the rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM). Whether sympathetic nerve activity (SNA) is elevated in humans with essential hypertension is still unsettled. Recording of muscle SNA (MSNA) by the microneurographic method mostly points to elevated SNA in hypertensives including borderline and mildly hypertensive patients. Exaggerated MSNA is most conspicuous in the accelerated hypertensives. Power spectral analyses of heart rate and blood pressure variability provide controversial results on this issue. Nevertheless, most studies demonstrate altered sympathetic cardiovascular control in hypertensive subjects. In young borderline hypertensives, the sympathetic response to mental stress or passive tilting is exaggerated, whereas in elderly subjects it is attenuated.
authors.affiliation: St. Luke's College of Nursing.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kumada
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kuwaki
authors.forename: K H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Ju
mesh_terms: D001794:Blood Pressure; D002319:Cardiovascular System / Q000294:innervation; D004594:Electrophysiology; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013564:Sympathetic Nervous System / Q000503:physiopathology*