Propranolol decreases sympathetic nervous activity reflected by plasma catecholamines during evolution of myocardial infarction in man.
Open Access
- 1 February 1980
- journal article
- research article
- Published by American Society for Clinical Investigation in JCI Insight
- Vol. 65 (2), 338-346
- https://doi.org/10.1172/jci109677
Abstract
Plasma 1-norepinephrine and epinephrine contents were strikingly elevated in 70 patients during evolution of myocardial infarction. Propranolol or placebo, 0.1 mg/kg i.v., was administered randomly an average of 10 h after infarction and continued orally for 3 d. Propranolol, but not placebo, acutely decreased 1-norepinephrine contents from 2.24 +/- 1.33 (mean +/- SD) to 1.31 +/- 0.74 microgram/liter, P less than 0.001, and epinephrine contents from 0.97 +/- 0.42 to 0.74 +/- 0.42 microgram/liter, P less than 0.02. Decreases in 1-norepinephrine contents were related to the initial plasma concentrations, r = 0.85, P less than 0.001. A similar, but less strong relationship was observed between the initial epinephrine contents and propranolol-induced changes, r = -0.51, P less than 0.01. Propranolol reduced plasma-free fatty acid contents from 1,121 +/- 315 to 943 +/- 274 mumol/liter, P less than 0.001. Decreases in plasma contents of free fatty acids were related to decreases in epinephrine, r = 0.66, P less than 0.001. Propranolol did not cause significant additional changes in plasma catecholamine contents during the subsequent 3 d. In the placebo group 1-norepinephrine contents had decreased 24 h after infarction from 1.92 +/- 0.99 to 1.37 +/- 0.93 microgram/liter, P less than 0.02. Plasma epinephrine contents did not change. Heart rate remained below the control values during the entire study period in the propranolol, but increased in the placebo group. The data indicate that sympathetic hyperactivity, indirectly reflected by plasma catecholamine contents, is acutely reduced by propranolol during evolution of myocardial infarction.This publication has 46 references indexed in Scilit:
- The Role of α- and β-Presynaptic Receptors in the Regulation of Noradrenaline Release Elicited by Nerve StimulationClinical Science, 1976
- The effect of racemic propranolol, dextro-propranolol and racemic practolol on the human and canine cardiac transmembrane action potential (beta blockade and the cardiac action potential).1971
- A new technique for measurement of cardiac output by thermodilution in manThe American Journal of Cardiology, 1971
- Inhibitory effect of propranolol on the vasoconstrictor response to sympathetic nerve stimulationJournal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, 1970
- The metabolism of [3H]noradrenaline released by electrical stimulation from the isolated nictitating membrane of the cat and from the vas deferens of the ratThe Journal of Physiology, 1970
- Prejunctional actions of some β‐adrenoceptor antagonists in the vas deferens preparation of the guinea‐pigBritish Journal of Pharmacology, 1970
- Plasma propranolol levels in adults With observations in four childrenClinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics, 1970
- A sympathetic reflex elicited by experimental coronary occlusionAmerican Journal of Physiology-Legacy Content, 1969
- Free noradrenaline and adrenaline excretion in relation to clinical syndromes following myocardial infarctionThe American Journal of Cardiology, 1967
- Direct release of myocardial catecholamines into the left heart chambers : the enhancing effect of acute coronary occlusion.1966