ENHANCED CONTRACTION TO NORADRENALINE, SEROTONIN AND NERVE-STIMULATION BUT NORMAL ENDOTHELIUM-DERIVED RELAXING FACTOR RESPONSE IN SKIN SMALL ARTERIES IN HUMAN PRIMARY HYPERTENSION

Abstract

1. We measured the reactivity of 2 mm long ring segments of human resistance arteries dissected from gluteal skin biopsies and mounted on wires in a Mulvany-Halpern myograph for recording isometric force. Arteries were taken from eight normotensive (N) volunteers (average age 46 years, blood pressure 126/82 mmHg) and eight untreated hypertensives (H; average age 48 years, blood pressure 149/101 mmHg). 2. In small diameter arteries (internal diameter less than 500 microns), the cumulative concentration-response curves to noradrenaline, serotonin and angiotensin II had a greater maximum by 72, 300 and 69%, respectively, in vessels from hypertensive patients than in those from normal volunteers..