抄録
1. Plasma catecholamine concentrations were determined in eight young patients with essential hypertension and eight normotensive healthy volunteers before, during and after the exercise bybicycle ergomter, 60 Watt for 10 minutes.
2. The plasma norepinephrine concentration at rest was significantly higher in the hypertensive patients than in the normotensives. A significant positive correlation was demonstrated between the plasma norepinephrine concentrations and the systolic and mean blood pressure.
3. Although plasma norepinephrine and epinephrine were increased during the ergometer exercise both in the hypertensives and the normotensives, the changes were statistically significant only in the hypertensives. In the hypertensives, the increase in plasma norepinephrine was observed 5 min after the exercise.
4. The above results suggest the hyperactivity of sympathetic nervous system and that it may play an important role in maintaining an elevated blood pressure in the young essential hypertensives.
