Sympathetic neural and hemodynamic responses during cold pressor test in elderly blacks and whites

Yoshiyuki Okada, Sara S. Jarvis, Stuart A. Best, Jeffrey G. Edwards, Joseph M. Hendrix, Beverley Adams-Huet, Wanpen Vongpatanasin, Benjamin D. Levine, Qi Fu

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

25 Scopus citations

Abstract

The sympathetic response during the cold pressor test (CPT) has been reported to be greater in young blacks than whites, especially in those with a family history of hypertension. Because blood pressure (BP) increases with age, we evaluated whether elderly blacks have greater sympathetic activation during CPT than age-matched whites. BP, heart rate, cardiac output, and muscle sympathetic nerve activity were measured during supine baseline, 2-minute CPT, and 3-minute recovery in 47 elderly (68±7 [SD] years) volunteers (12 blacks and 35 whites). Baseline BP, heart rate, cardiac output, or muscle sympathetic nerve activity did not differ between races. Systolic and diastolic BP and heart rate increased during CPT (all P<0.001) with no racial differences (all P>0.05). Cardiac output increased during CPT and ≤30 s of recovery in both groups, but was lower in blacks than whites. Muscle sympathetic nerve activity increased during CPT in both groups (both P<0.001); the increase in burst frequency was similar between groups, whereas the increase in total activity was smaller in blacks (P=0.030 for interaction). Peak change (Δ) in diastolic BP was correlated with Δ total activity at 1 minute into CPT in both blacks (r=0.78, P=0.003) and whites (r=0.43, P=0.009), whereas the slope was significantly greater in blacks (P=0.007). Thus, elderly blacks have smaller sympathetic and central hemodynamic (eg, cardiac output) responses, but a greater pressor response for a given sympathetic activation during CPT than elderly whites. This response may stem from augmented sympathetic vascular transduction, greater sympathetic activation to other vascular bed(s), or enhanced nonadrenergically mediated vasoconstriction in elderly blacks.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)951-958
Number of pages8
JournalHypertension
Volume67
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - May 1 2016

Keywords

  • aging
  • blood pressure
  • cardiac output
  • heart rate
  • hypertension

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Internal Medicine

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Sympathetic neural and hemodynamic responses during cold pressor test in elderly blacks and whites'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this