Opioid peptide modulation of circulatory response to hyperventilation in humans

• Published in: Peptides (New York, N.Y. : 1980) Vol. 21; no. 8; pp. 1223 - 1230
• Main Authors: Fontana, Fiorella, Bernardi, Pasquale, Pich, Emilio Merlo, Tartuferi, Lucia, Boschi, Stefano, Spampinato, Santi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01-08-2000
• Subjects: Adult; Analysis of Variance; Atrial natriuretic factor; beta-Endorphin - blood; Blood Pressure - drug effects; Catecholamines - blood; Dynorphin B; Endothelin-1; Enkephalin, Methionine - blood; Epinephrine; Female; Heart Rate - drug effects; Humans; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Hyperventilation; Hyperventilation - drug therapy; Male; Met-enkephalin; Naloxone; Naloxone - pharmacology; Norepinephrine; Opioid Peptides - pharmacology; Time Factors; β-endorphin; Epinephrine; Naloxone; Endothelin-1; Met-enkephalin; β-endorphin; Norepinephrine; Dynorphin B; Hyperventilation; Atrial natriuretic factor
• ISSN: 0196-9781; 1873-5169
• DOI: 10.1016/S0196-9781(00)00263-1

After hyperventilation, systolic blood pressure (SBP) significantly decreased in 10 subjects (group 1), did not change in eight (group 2) and increased in 15 (group 3). Diastolic blood pressure and heart rate increased in all groups. The decrease in SBP was associated with a decrease in plasma catecholamines and increase in β-endorphin, whereas the increase in SBP was accompanied by an increase in catecholamine and Met-enkephalin levels. Naloxone abolished the hyperventilation-induced SBP and catecholamine decrease only in group 1. These findings show an activation of the endogenous opioid system after hyperventilation and the role of β-endorphin in reducing SBP in response to the test.