title: Hostility and adrenergic receptor responsiveness: evidence of reduced beta-receptor responsiveness in high hostile men.
abstract: We examined the relation of Cook and Medley Hostility (Ho) scores to alpha- and beta-adrenergic receptor responsiveness to pharmacological agonists in 22 normotensive and 14 hypertensives (aged 18-34) white males, matched for age and body mass. alpha-Adrenergic receptor responsiveness was measured by the phenylephrine dose required to increase mean blood pressure by 25 mmHg (PD25). beta-Adrenergic responsiveness was measured by the isoproterenol dose needed to increase heart rate by 25 bpm (CD25), and to lower systemic vascular resistance by 40% (VD40). Relative to men with low Ho scores (< or = 21), men with high Ho scores (> or = 21) showed significantly reduced vascular beta 2-adrenergic receptor responsiveness (VD40). Moreover, the decreased vascular responsiveness was more pronounced in borderline hypertensive men with high Ho scores. Ho scores were also marginally significant in predicting cardiac beta 1- and beta 2-adrenergic receptor responsiveness, such that men with high Ho scores showed decreased responsiveness as indexed by a larger CD25. Vascular alpha 1-adrenergic responsiveness was not associated with hostility. These observations suggest that hostility, alone or in conjunction with BP status, is associated with reduced cardiovascular beta-adrenergic receptor responsiveness.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
authors.forename: E C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Suarez
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sherwood
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Hinderliter
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000316:Adrenergic alpha-Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D000318:Adrenergic beta-Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D000328:Adult; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D006791:Hostility; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D007545:Isoproterenol / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D010656:Phenylephrine / Q000494:pharmacology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011942:Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha / Q000187:drug effects; D011943:Receptors, Adrenergic, beta / Q000187:drug effects*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
chemical_list: D000316:Adrenergic alpha-Agonists; D000318:Adrenergic beta-Agonists; D011942:Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha; D011943:Receptors, Adrenergic, beta; D010656:Phenylephrine; D007545:Isoproterenol