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The Influence of Oral Glucose Loading on Baroreflex Function in the Elderly
Author(s) -
Jansen René W. M. M.,
Hoefnagels Willibrord H. L.
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
journal of the american geriatrics society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.992
H-Index - 232
eISSN - 1532-5415
pISSN - 0002-8614
DOI - 10.1111/j.1532-5415.1989.tb06914.x
Subject(s) - baroreflex , medicine , blood pressure , postprandial , phenylephrine , endocrinology , baroreceptor , hemodynamics , anesthesia , cardiology , insulin , heart rate
Blood pressure in the elderly may decrease after a meal or after oral glucose loading. It has been suggested that eating may affect blood pressure homeostasis through an insulin‐induced blunting of baroreflex sensitivity. We investigated the effects of oral glucose loading on baroreflex sensitivity in young normotensives and in elderly normo‐ and hypertensive subjects. Blood pressure was measured by a new noninvasive device, Finapres, which measures blood pressure continuously in the finger. Baroreflex sensitivity was estimated with the phenylephrine and nitroglycerin method. In both elderly groups mean arterial pressure fell significantly after the glucose load (11 ± 1 mm Hg , P < .001 in the hypertensives, and 8 ± 2 mm Hg , P < .01 in the normotensive subjects), whereas no change in blood pressure was found in the young group. Baroreflex sensitivity was lower in both elderly groups than in young normotensives. Glucose loading had no influence on baroreflex sensitivity in the three groups. Therefore, we conclude that other factors are involved in the phenomenon of postprandial hypotension in the elderly . J Am Geriatr Soc 37:1017–1022, 1989