The tension response to prolonged noradrenaline exposure was studied in arterial segments from the mesenteric, splenic, hepatic, renal, and femoral vasculatures of the cat. Vessel segments responded to noradrenaline superfusion with an initial, rapid increase intension, which subsequently ‘escaped’ toward control levels during continued noradrenaline exposure. This escape was observed in arteries from all the vascular beds studied, but most frequently in the hepatic, mesenteric, and splenic vessels. Additionally, mesenteric vessels escaped in response to vasopressin, adrenaline, and phenylephrine. Vasoconstrictor escape in the isolated arterial segments closely corresponds with reported in vivo blood flow responses of the respective vasculatures and the mechanism of vasoconstrictor escape is discussed.