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Fludrocortisone suppression of sympathetic nervous activity
Author(s) -
Izzo Joseph L,
Horwitz David,
Lawton William J,
Keiser Harry R
Publication year - 1983
Publication title -
clinical pharmacology and therapeutics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.941
H-Index - 188
eISSN - 1532-6535
pISSN - 0009-9236
DOI - 10.1038/clpt.1983.15
Subject(s) - fludrocortisone , plasma renin activity , sympathetic nervous system , supine position , norepinephrine , medicine , endocrinology , aldosterone , blood pressure , autonomic nervous system , renin–angiotensin system , hydrocortisone , heart rate , dopamine
Fludrocortisone depressed plasma norepinephrine in normal subjects but to a lesser degree than it depressed renin activity or urinary aldosterone excretion. Sympathetic nervous reactivity (defined as upright/supine plasma norepinephrine) was decreased more than supine plasma norepinephrine. Pretreatment supine plasma norepinephrine (but not plasma renin activity or aldosterone excretion) correlated with blood pressure changes during fludrocortisone dosing, which suggests participation of the sympathetic nervous system in the blood pressure elevations reported during exogenous steroid administration or primary aldosteronism. Suppression of sympathetic nervous activity and reactivity by fludrocortisone tends to explain its limited usefulness in patients with autonomie dysfunction and postural hypotension. Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (1983) 33, 102–106; doi: 10.1038/clpt.1983.15