Adrenergic and vagal influences on blood pressure variability

The present paper reviews our recent studies set up to define the role of sympathetic and vagal nervous influences on blood pressure variability. Blood pressure and its variability was measured in men by Arteriosonde or by Portometer (the latter recording 12 hours ambulatory blood pressure) and in the dog by intraarterial recordings. It was shown that sympathetic nerves do not influence variability as no change was seen with drugs acting on either beta (atenolol, metoprolol, propranolol) or alpha adrenergic receptors (prazosin, phentolamine, guanfacine). Also no correlation was found with plasma catecholamines or sympathetic function tests. By contrast, clear inhibition was demonstrated with atropine indicating an important role of vagal nerves on variability. However, in men, inhibition was not complete with atropine; thus, also other mechanisms play a role but these are, at present, largely unknown.