Blood pressure and both venous and urinary catecholamines after cerebral infarction

• Published in: Clinical neurology and neurosurgery Vol. 90; no. 1; pp. 41 - 45
• Main Authors: Jansen, P.A.F., Thien, Th, Gribnau, F.W.J., Schulte, B.P.M., Willemsen, J.J., Lamers, K.J.B., Poels, E.F.J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 1988; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Biological and medical sciences; Blood Pressure; catecholamines; Catecholamines - metabolism; Cerebral Infarction - metabolism; Cerebral Infarction - physiopathology; cerebrovascular accidents; Dopamine - metabolism; Epinephrine - metabolism; Female; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Neurology; Norepinephrine - metabolism; Renin - metabolism; Time Factors; Vascular diseases and vascular malformations of the nervous system; blood pressure; catecholamines; cerebrovascular accidents; Assay; Human; Urine; Cerebral infarction; Nervous system diseases; Renin; Arterial pressure; Catecholamine; Blood
• ISSN: 0303-8467; 1872-6968
• DOI: 10.1016/S0303-8467(88)80008-8

Blood pressure, both venous and urinary catecholamines and plasma renin activity (PRA) were studied in 10 patients (6 men and 4 women, mean age 70±10 years) on the first three days after cerebral infarction. Blood pressure fell significantly (p<0.02) on the second and third day after stroke. There was a small but significant (p<0.01) decrease in plasma epinephrine concentration on the third day. The norepinephrine values remained constant on the three days. The PRA showed a significant (p<0.01) rise on the third day. No significant correlation was detected between the course of the blood pressure and the plasma catecholamines or PRA. When blood pressure was correlated with the urinary catecholamines, however, a significant correlation with epinephrine (r=0.45; p<0.05) and with norepinephrine (r=0.44; p<0.05) was found. We conclude that the changes in blood pressure after stroke are at least partly mediated by the changes in catecholamine production.