Abstract / Description of output
BACKGROUND: Sympathetically mediated venoconstriction is augmented by exogenously administered angiotensin II. This study was designed to assess whether endogenous angiotensin II influences sympathetically mediated venous tone.
METHODS: Responses of dorsal hand veins to local intravenous administration of subsystemic doses of losartan, an angiotensin II type-1 receptor antagonist, were assessed with use of a well-validated displacement technique in eight healthy male volunteers. In a four-phase study, responses to local infusions of angiotensin II (4 to 64 ng/min) and norepinephrine (1 to 128 ng/min) or to sympathetic venoconstriction produced by a single deep breath were compared in the presence of either saline placebo or 30 microg/min losartan. Each phase of the study was conducted on a separate day, in random order, and each phase was separated by at least 1 week.
RESULTS: Angiotensin II (p = 0.03) and norepinephrine (p < 0.001) caused dose-dependent venoconstriction. Losartan attenuated the venoconstriction induced by angiotensin II (p = 0.048) but had no effect on the responses to norepinephrine or the venoconstriction induced by a single deep breath.
CONCLUSIONS: In contrast to exogenously administered angiotensin II, basal endogenous angiotensin II does not influence sympathetically mediated venoconstriction in healthy humans. However, endogenous angiotensin II may have a role in circumstances of renin-angiotensin system activation, such as salt depletion.
Original language | English |
---|---|
Pages (from-to) | 327-333 |
Number of pages | 7 |
Journal | Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics |
Volume | 62 |
Issue number | 3 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - Sept 1997 |
Keywords / Materials (for Non-textual outputs)
- Adrenergic alpha-Agonists
- Adult
- Angiotensin Receptor Antagonists
- Antihypertensive Agents
- Area Under Curve
- Hand
- Humans
- Infusions, Intravenous
- Losartan
- Male
- Norepinephrine
- Receptors, Angiotensin
- Renin-Angiotensin System
- Single-Blind Method
- Vasoconstriction
- Veins