This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Permissions Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by McCubbin, J. A. Articles by Williams, R. B. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by McCubbin, J. A. Articles by Williams, R. B., Jr

Hypertension, Vol 7, 808-811, Copyright © 1985 by American Heart Association

ARTICLES

Endogenous opiate peptides, stress reactivity, and risk for hypertension

JA McCubbin, RS Surwit and RB Williams Jr

Endogenous opiate peptides can regulate neuroendocrine and circulatory responses to behavioral stress and may be important in the pathogenic effects of sympathoadrenal reactivity. We tested this hypothesis by examining the effect of the opiate antagonist naloxone on blood pressure responses to behavioral stress in young adults with high, medium, or low casual blood pressures. Naloxone increased mean arterial pressure responses to stress in subjects with low casual pressure, but had no significant effect on responses in subjects with high casual pressure. These results suggest opioidergic inhibition of sympathetic nervous system responses may be deficient in persons at risk for essential hypertension.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				W. Linden, W. Gerin, and K. Davidson Cardiovascular Reactivity: Status Quo and a Research Agenda for the New Millennium Psychosom Med, January 1, 2003; 65(1): 5 - 8. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				F. Fontana, P. Bernardi, S. Spampinato, S. Boschi, R. De Iasio, and G. Grossi Pressor Effects of Endogenous Opioid System During Acute Episodes of Blood Pressure Increases in Hypertensive Patients Hypertension, January 1, 1997; 29(1): 105 - 110. [Abstract] [Full Text]