Hemodynamics, renal function, plasma renin, and aldosterone in man after 5 to 14 days of bedrest

Continous bedrest for 5 to 14 days had no significant effect on resting heart rate, blood pressure or cardiac output in six normal men. Head-up tilt induced greater tachycardia in 5 of 6 patients after bed rest than in the control period. Propranolol diminished both the tachycardia and the incidence of hypotension and faintness in upright posture. Body weight, serum electrolytes and resting renal plasma flow, and glomerular filtration rate were unchanged by bedrest. Plasma volume fell, extracellular fluid volume increased, and plasma renin activity was significantly elevated following bedrest. Unusually large increases in plasma renin followed head-up tilt or administration of isoproterenol during bedrest, and after resuming normal activity. During bedrest, plasma aldosterone was often increased in the early morning. We conclude that after bedrest, upright posture evokes strong beta-adrenergic activity, with exaggerated metabolic and circulatory responses which can be reduced or abolished by the beta-adrenergic blocker, propranolol.