Circulatory Effects of Noise

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Abstract
Thirteen patients with mild essential hypertension, mean age 44 years (range 21–59), were studied during “stress” before and after postsynaptic α‐adrenoceptor blockade and combined postsynaptic α‐ and non‐selective β‐adrenoceptor blockade. Loud broad band noise (100 dBA for 10 min) was used as the stress stimulus. Exposure to noise caused a significant increase in systolic (7%, ppppppp<0.05). Plasma adrenaline and plasma renin activity were not affected by noise stimulation. These results suggest that blood pressure elevation is essential during “stress” but that the hemodynamic pattern causing blood pressure elevation may vary and may be affected by pharmacological blockade of various parts of the sympathetic nervous system.