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Platelet α 2 ‐adrenergic receptor responsiveness is increased in elderly men but not in elderly women
Author(s) -
Nies Alan S,
Andros Elizabeth A,
Gerber John G
Publication year - 1992
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.1992.198
Subject(s) - endocrinology , agonist , medicine , adenylyl cyclase , platelet , receptor , adrenergic receptor , alpha (finance) , alpha 2 adrenergic receptor , platelet aggregation , adrenergic , beta 3 adrenergic receptor , chemistry , construct validity , nursing , patient satisfaction
We ascertained platelet α 2 ‐adrenergic receptor responsiveness in healthy young and elderly men and women by detennining the minimum concentration of methylnorepinephrine, a selective α 2 ‐adrenergic receptor agonist, required to initiate the primary and secondary aggregation response in platelet‐rich plasma. We observed that platelets from elderly men required a smaller concentration of methylnorepinephrine to stimulate primary aggregation than did platelets obtained from young men. However, the concentration of α 2 ‐adrenergic receptor agonist to trigger the secondary aggregation response did not vary with age. There was no difference in the responsiveness of platelets from young and elderly women for either the primary or secondary aggregation response. We conclude that platelet α 2 ‐adrenergic receptor responsiveness is increased with age rather than decreased, as predicted from some studies of the density of platelet α 2 ‐adrenergic receptors and their coupling to adenylyl cyclase. Furthermore, the increase in α 2 ‐adrenergic receptor responsiveness is gender specific. Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (1992) 52 , 605–608; doi: 10.1038/clpt.1992.198