THE COMPARATIVE EFFECTS OF SMALL INTRAVENOUS DOSES OF EPINEPHRINE UPON ARTERIAL PRESSURE AND PULSE RATE IN NORMOTENSIVE SUBJECTS AND IN HYPERTENSIVE PATIENTS BEFORE AND AFTER THORACOLUMBAR SYMPATHECTOMY

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Abstract
Small intraven. doses of epinephrine-HCl cause 3-phase changes in arterial pressure and pulse rate recorded through an intra-arterial needle by a Hamilton manometer or a Sanborn Electromanometer. The typical responses consist of a brief hypertensive 1st phase, a transient hypotensive second phase and a sustained hypertensive 3d phase. No qualitative (or statistically quantitative) differences are found in the arterial pressure responses of hypertensive patients (either before or early after thoracolumbar sympathectomy) as compared with normotensive subjects. Certain minor differences exist in the pulse rates. During the hypertensive phases of the responses to intraven. epinephrine the pulse rates of the pre-operative hypertensive patients are usually faster than those of the normotensive subjects who definitely slow their rates. After thoracolumbar sympathectomy, the pulse rates of hypertensive patients are slowed normally during hypertensive responses to intraven. epinephrine.