The results of alpha-adrenergic blockade on some behavioral and physiological effects of epinephrine

This study was undertaken to test the hypothesis that epinephrine infusion elicits behavioral arousal as a result of systolic blood pressure increase. Eight patients each received 6 epinephrine infusions, 3 preceded by 150 mg. phentolamine and 3 preceded by placebo. Epinephrine alone produced arousal. Phentolamine markedly reduced the epinephrine-induced increase in systolic blood pressure and arousal occurred to a lesser degree than with epinephrine alone. It is suggested that the residual arousal may have resulted from the phentolamine-epinephrine drug combination which caused a severe rise in pulse rate (mean of 122 beats per minute). Serial blood samples were taken for free fatty acids and cholesterol determina-tions. Phentolamine alone and epinephrine alone were accompanied by an in-crease in plasma unesterified (free) fatty acids (FFA). When phentolamine preceded epinephrine infusion, a more marked rise in FFA occurred than with either drug alone. Epinephrine elicited a slight, but not significant, increase in cholesterol levels. The results are discussed in relation to alpha- and beta-adrenergic receptor mechanisms. JQ/PINEPHRINE has frequently been uti- venous infusions to normal subjects and lized as an anxiety-inducing chemical, reported that the sensations perceived Basowitz et al.1 gave continuous intra- were similar to those experienced in pre-From the Department of Psychiatry, Missouri vious spontaneously occurring periods o