We studied the effect of yohimbine, a drug that inhibits presynaptic Oj-adrenergic receptors and increases the neuronal release of norepinephrine from the central and sympathetic nervous systems, on tolerance to cardiovascular stress in 10 untrained, healthy subjects. Using radioligand binding of tritiated yohimbine to platelets, these subjects were found to have a normal complement of a<2-adrenergic receptors (174±18 [±S£M] receptors/platelet) with normal X,, (1.93±0.17 nmol/1). Lower body negative pressure was used to test responses to cardiovascular stress in the subjects after they received either placebo or 20 mg yohimbine. Graded lower body negative pressure from 0 to -40 mm Hg significantly decreased systolic blood pressure from 116±3.7 to 106±5.8 mm Hg, increased heart rate from 54±3 to 68±7 beats/min, decreased forearm blood flow from 1.8 ±0.21 to 1.36±0.25 ml/100 ml/min, and increased forearm vascular resistance from 55.76±12.1 to 77.26±15.8 mm Hg/ml/min. Yohimbine increased the blood pressure at rest and during lower body negative pressure, but these changes were not significantly different from values recorded from the individuals when they were given placebo. Compared with placebo, however, yohimbine significantly increased forearm blood flow at rest (1.80±0.21 vs. 2.66±OJ1 ml/100 ml/min, p<0.05) and during -4 0 mm Hg of lower body negative pressure (U6±0.25 vs. 1.91±0.28 ml/100 ml/min, p<0.05). We also found that yohimbine significantly increased the plasma insulin concentration in these fasted subjects (9.4±2.4 vs. 14.5±1.4 ng/ml,/?<0.05) without inducing hypoglycemia. Because this agent increases forearm blood flow, yohimbine might be useful in treating the orthostatic hypotension and ischemic vascular disease that results from the autonomic insufficiency common in patients with diabetes mellitus. (Hypertension 1990;15:877-880) T he a-adrenergic receptors are found on presynaptic neurons of the central nervous system, the peripheral nervous system, and blood vessels. The a,-adrenergic receptors are found mainly on blood vessels, and when stimulated by endogenous ligands such as norepinephrine, cause vascular smooth muscle to contract and vascular resistance and blood pressure to increase. The a 2 -adrenergic receptors are found on platelets, in the vasculature, and on presynaptic neurons. Activation of presynaptic a 2 -adrenergjc receptors results in a decrease in catecholamine release from nerve terminals and the adrenal medulla and a decrease in blood pressure. Alternatively, antagonism Because increasing circulating and central catecholamines increases blood pressure, we hypothesized that pharmacological agents that increase catecholamine release could increase tolerance to cardiovascular stress experienced by patients with orthostatic hypotension or by fighter pilots who experience increased gravitational force (+Gz). We measured the effect of the oral a 2 -adrenergic receptor antagonist yohimbine on the blood pressure response to the unloading of cardiovascular baroreceptors with graded lowe...

We tested the hypothesis that 1-desamino-8-D-arginine vasopressin (DDAVP), a V2-receptor agonist, could inhibit the diuresis induced by water immersion in humans. Water and electrolyte excretion, plasma atrial natriuretic factor concentration, and plasma aldosterone concentration were measured initially and after 3 h of water immersion in 13 healthy sodium-replete men given either placebo or 20 micrograms of intranasal DDAVP. Guanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate and urea excretion and urine osmolality were also determined. DDAVP inhibited the diuresis induced by water immersion in men: 758 +/- 168 (SE) ml/3 h in the placebo group vs. 159 +/- 28 ml/3 h in the DDAVP group (P less than 0.05). After 3 h of water immersion, plasma atrial natriuretic factor concentrations were increased from 11 +/- 2 to 20 +/- 4 pg/ml in the placebo group and from 14 +/- 2 to 33 +/- 4 pg/ml in the DDAVP group (P less than 0.05). Plasma aldosterone concentrations were decreased from 98 +/- 18 to 45 +/- 6 pg/ml in the placebo group (P less than 0.05) and from 54 +/- 17 to 25 +/- 5 pg/ml in the DDAVP group (P less than 0.05). Despite these changes in aldosterone and atrial natriuretic factor concentrations, which should increase sodium excretion, DDAVP decreased the natriuresis induced by water immersion in humans: 56 +/- 8 meq Na+/3 h in the placebo group vs. 36 +/- 6 meq Na+/3 h in the DDAVP group (P less than 0.05). DDAVP may be used to prevent the diuresis associated with central redistribution of blood volumes that occur during water immersion.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Patients with hypertension frequently have vague complaints of dizziness and many other symptoms experienced by healthy individuals with motion sickness. We examined vestibular function in patients with essential hypertension, and we determined whether patients with essential hypertension are more prone to motion sickness using Coriolis stress testing. Vestibular function and Coriolis stress susceptibility were measured in 12 normotensive (NT) and seven asymptomatic patients with mild essential hypertension (HT). The Coriolis stress susceptibility index (CSSI) was calculated from the number of head movements in the four cardinal directions an individual could complete while being rotated in a computerized chair at increasing velocity before they developed motion sickness. The patients with hypertension had normal vestibular function and normal vestibuloocular responses as measured by standard techniques. Subjects with hypertension had significantly decreased Coriolis stress susceptibility scores compared to normotensive subjects (NT, 29.70 +/- 4.8; v HT, 5.48 +/- 2.0, P less than .001) and significantly decreased suppression of postrotatory nystagmus (NT, 44.5% +/- 3.8; v HT, 19.1% +/- 6.9, P less than .05). Medical treatment of hypertension did not result in an increased tolerance to provocative stimuli for motion sickness. It is suggested from our data that an increased susceptibility to motion sickness and abnormal vestibular responses to normal motion may account for many of the vague symptoms of "dizziness" reported by a large number of hypertensive patients.