Effect of central venous pressure on arterial baroreflex control of heart rate

There is considerable evidence that the level of afferent cardiopulmonary receptor activity modulates sinus node responses to arterial baroreflex stimulation in experimental animals. We tested the hypothesis that this reflex interaction occurs also in man by measuring sinus node responses to arterial baroreceptor stimulation with phenylephrine injection or neck suction, before and during changes of central venous pressure provoked by lower body negative pressure or leg and lower trunk elevation. Variations of central venous pressure between 1.1 and 9.0 mmHg did not influence arterial baroreflex mediated bradycardia. Baroreflex sinus node responses were augmented by intravenous propranolol, but the level of responses after propranolol was comparable during the control state, lower body negative pressure, and leg and trunk elevation. Sinus node responses to very brief baroreceptor stimuli applied during the transitions of central venous pressure also were comparable in the three states. We conclude that physiological variations of central venous pressure do not influence sinus node responses to arterial baroreceptor stimulation in man.