Estimation of magnitude of autonomic and non autonomic components of hindlimb vascular resistance in renal hypertension

Abstract

Hindlimb vascular resistance (HVR) was determined before and after pharmacological block of the autonomic effectors in unanaesthetized renal cellophane wrap hypertensive and normotensive rabbits with previously implanted Doppler ultrasonic flowmeters. The HVR was partitioned into a non autonomic component (HVR after block) and an autonomic component (resting HVR minus non autonomic HVR). When the mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) after block was restored to resting values with dextran the increase in estimated non autonomic HVR accounted entirely for the rise in resting HVR in renal hypertensive rabbits. If the MAP was not restored after autonomic block the non autonomic HVR was underestima..