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The balance between vascular alpha‐ and beta‐adrenoceptors is not changed in the elderly
Author(s) -
Klein Catherine,
Hiatt William R,
Gerber John G,
Nies Alan S
Publication year - 1987
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.1987.144
Subject(s) - alpha (finance) , beta (programming language) , adrenergic receptor , balance (ability) , adrenergic beta antagonists , medicine , propranolol , computer science , surgery , physical therapy , receptor , construct validity , patient satisfaction , programming language
It has been suggested that β‐adrenoceptor‐mediated functions are diminished with aging and that these responses are reduced to a greater extent than are α‐adrenoceptor‐mediated responses. The resulting imbalance in the elderly may produce an increased vascular resistance from the unopposed α‐adrenoceptor stimulation in the peripheral vasculature. To evaluate this hypothesis, we studied 12 healthy elderly and 12 healthy young subjects during a graded infusion of epinephrine and compared blood pressure response, vascular resistance, and calf blood flow as determined by venous occlusion plethysmography. In both groups, heart rate increased, blood flow to the leg increased, and vascular resistance fell in response to epinephrine infusion, but in the elderly the systolic blood pressure failed to rise as it did in the young subjects. From these data we conclude that the overall vascular response to epinephrine does not change with age and that the balance between β‐adrenoceptor‐mediated vasodilation and α‐adrenoceptor‐mediated vasoconstriction is therefore unchanged in the elderly. Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (1987) 42, 260–264; doi: 10.1038/clpt.1987.144