Sympathetic baroreceptor responses after chronic NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester treatment in conscious rats

Blood pressure elevations after nitric oxide inhibition may result in part from increased sympathetic tone. In this study arterial baroreceptor reflex control of heart rate, renal sympathetic nerve activity (RSNA), and adrenal sympathetic nerve activity (ASNA) were compared in rats given normal tap water or a 3.7 nmol/L (10 mg%) solution of NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) for 1 or 5 weeks. L-NAME raised blood pressure after 5 weeks of treatment (153 +/- 3 versus 130 +/- 3 and 124 +/- 2 mm Hg, 5 weeks versus 1 week and control). The sensitivity of arterial baroreceptor reflex control of RSNA was reduced after both 1 and 5 weeks of treatment (-5.05 +/- 0.63% and -4.46 +/- 0.2% versus -6.43 +/- 0.39% baseline activity per millimeters of mercury). Set point gain of ASNA was attenuated after 5 weeks of treatment compared with controls (-1.7 +/- 3% versus -3.3 +/- 3% baseline activity per millimeters of mercury). Maximal inhibition of ASNA was attenuated in groups treated 1 and 5 weeks (60 +/- 3% and 66 +/- 3% versus 34 +/- 4% baseline activity). The maximal increase in both RSNA and ASNA was elevated in rats treated 5 weeks (RSNA: control, 263 +/- 19%; 1 week, 224 +/- 17%; 5 weeks, 324 +/- 20%; ASNA: control, 272 +/- 29%; 1 week, 252 +/- 31%; 5 weeks, 361 +/- 28% baseline activity). The data indicate that chronic L-NAME treatment alters arterial baroreceptor reflexes in part before the onset of hypertension.