Pressor Responses to Noxious Stimuli in Hypertensive Patients

The pressor and pulse rate responses to three standardized noxious stimuli were determined in groups of hypertensive patients receiving reserpine and chlorothiazide, alone and in combination. Although the drugs caused a significant decline in resting blood pressure, they failed to diminish the actual magnitude of the elevations in pressure and heart rate resulting from either physical or psychological stimuli. The possible physiological interpretations and the therapeutic implications of these data have been pointed out.