SUBSENSITIVITY TO EPINEPHRINE FOLLOWING ADMINISTRATION OF EPINEPHRINE AND EPHEDRINE TO NORMAL INDIVIDUALS

[摘要] Cardiovascular and metabolic responses to exercise and consecutive epinephrine infusions 24 h apart were measured in 7 normal individuals before and following a week''s administration of ephedrine sulfate. There was evidence of less .beta. adrenergic response to the second control epinephrine infusion compared to the first control infusion, and the depression of the rise in blood lactate and significantly different. A week of ephedrine produced more profound depression of the .beta. adrenergic responses to epinephrine with significant differences in the rise in blood glucose and lactate, and the pulse and blood pressure responses. These same responses remained significantly altered when a second epinephrine infusion was performed 36 h following the last dose of ephedrine. The alterations in the response to epinephrine induced by ephedrine are consistent with the concept of effector cell subsensitivity, an adaptive response to prolonged excessive stimulation. [This study was done to compare the effects of these drugs in normal individuals to patients with bronchial asthma.].