These tools will no longer be maintained as of December 31, 2024. Archived website can be found here. PubMed4Hh GitHub repository can be found here. Contact NLM Customer Service if you have questions.


PUBMED FOR HANDHELDS

Search MEDLINE/PubMed


  • Title: Postjunctional vascular smooth muscle alpha-2 adrenoreceptors in human autonomic failure.
    Author: Onrot J, Goldberg MR, Biaggioni I, Hollister AS, Kincaid D, Robertson D.
    Journal: Clin Invest Med; 1987 Jan; 10(1):26-31. PubMed ID: 3028681.
    Abstract:
    Animal studies have suggested that vasoconstrictor alpha-2 adrenoreceptors exist on vascular smooth muscle cells. We tested this hypothesis in a patient with severe autonomic failure who demonstrated a pressor response to oral clonidine (a selective alpha-2 adrenoreceptor partial agonist). After clonidine 0.8 mg orally, mean arterial pressure rose by 54 mm Hg. After pretreatment with prazosin (a selective alpha-1 adrenoreceptor antagonist) and confirmation of alpha-1 blockade, clonidine 0.8 mg still raised mean arterial pressure by 43 mm Hg. After pretreatment with yohimbine (a selective alpha-2 adrenoreceptor antagonist), clonidine 0.8 mg elevated mean arterial pressure by 13 mm Hg. Since alpha-1 antagonism does not block, and alpha-2 antagonism does not block the pressor effect of clonidine, we conclude that clonidine raised blood pressure in this severely affected autonomic failure patient by vascular alpha-2 adrenoreceptor stimulation. Thus, this provides pharmacological evidence that postjunctional vascular smooth muscle alpha-2 adrenoreceptors exist in man and can modulate blood pressure.
    [Abstract] [Full Text] [Related] [New Search]