Increased beta-adrenergic tone enhances arterial compliance in hyperkinetic borderline hypertension

Arterial compliance, assessed by the stroke volume-pulse pressure relationship, was measured in 32 patients with a high cardiac output together with borderline hypertension and 26 control subjects with normokinetic borderline hypertension. Measurements were obtained in the supine position both before and after 0.2 mg/kg intravenous propranolol. Baseline arterial compliance was significantly greater in the hyperkinetic group (P less than 0.01). The inter-group difference was no longer significant after the administration of propranolol, since compliance tended to increase in the normokinetic group and decrease in the hyperkinetic group. Therefore, disparities in vascular beta-adrenergic tone between hyperkinetic and normokinetic borderline hypertensive patients probably contribute to group differences in arterial compliance.