Increased Systemic Vascular Responsiveness to Catecholamines in Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats

Systemic vascular responsiveness to i.v. bolus injections of norepinephrine and tyramine was evaluated in adult male spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and normotensive Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY). Changes in total peripheral resistance (TPR) were used as an index of vascular response. Dose-response curves were plotted with 1n-dose on the x-axis and percent of maximum change in TPR on the y-axis, and the following indices of responsiveness were used: slope, 1nED50, 1nx-intercept, and maximum response. Measurements were made before and after ganglionic blockade with pentolinium (5 mg/kg, i.v.). Cardiac output for TPR calculations was obtained from an implanted flow probe on the ascending aorta. The slopes and maximum responses to norepinephrine and tyramine were greater in SHR v. WKY, P less than .05, before and after pentolinium treatment. There were no significant differences in 1nED50 or 1nx-intercept between WKY and SHR for tyramine and norepinephrine prior to pentolinium. After pentolinium 1nED50 and 1nx-intercept were similar for SHR and WKY for norepinephrine, but were greater in SHR for tyramine. The results demonstrate an increased systemic vascular responsiveness to catecholamines in adult SHR, with no evidence of increased systemic vascular sensitivity. These findings are consistent with the concept of increased systemic vascular responsiveness to catecholamines in adult SHR secondary to structural changes in blood vessels.