Cardiovascular and neuroendocrine responses to baroreceptor denervation in baboons

The purpose of this study was to describe the hormonal and blood pressure responses to partial (carotid sinus) and complete (carotid sinus + aortic arch) baroreceptor denervation in baboons. Experiments were performed in eight adult male baboons maintained on a tether system for the continuous measurement of mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) and heart rate (HR). Bilateral carotid sinus denervation (CSD) immediately increased MAP from 83 +/- 2.2 to 124 +/- 7.3 mmHg. MAP gradually decreased over the next 14 days to intact levels. There were also transient decreases in HR variability and increases in blood pressure variability after CSD. Subsequent denervation of the aortic arch to produce sinoaortic denervation (SAD) resulted in another abrupt large increase in MAP followed by a small but significant increase in MAP of 11 mmHg that was maintained for up to 4 wk after SAD. The short-term variability of HR and blood pressure was chronically decreased and increased, respectively, after SAD. Plasma renin activity, vasopressin, and epinephrine were not changed from intact levels either after CSD or SAD. Plasma norepinephrine was only transiently increased by CSD and chronically elevated by 72% over intact levels after SAD. Thus CSD in the baboon does not produce a sustained increase in MAP. SAD chronically increases MAP and is associated with evidence for an increased sympathetic tone. There is no indication that either increased renin secretion or vasopressin secretion contributes to the chronic cardiovascular effects of SAD in baboons.