Variability in Adrenergic Response

The dorsal hand vein model is a relatively non-invasive and robust experimental model to examine the local in vivo effect of vasoactive drugs without elucidating systemic counterregulatory reflexes. Infusion of incremental low doses of phenylephrine into a dorsal hand vein results in increasing local venoconstriction, without systemic effects. Similarly, infusion of incremental low doses of nitroglycerin into a preconstricted dorsal hand vein results in increasing local venodilation, without systemic effects. Systemic vascular responses can be measured by the cold pressor test (CPT),that leads to increase in blood pressure and heart rate , or mental stress that is also known to stimulate cardiovascular responses. Individuals vary in their local and systemic vascular responses but the genetic determinants of these are not clear.