Forearm Venous Reflex Activity in Normal and Essential Hypertensive Subjects

Abstract

Superficial forearm venous pressures, taken at rest and following rapid arterial occlusion, were measured in 11 normal and 14 essential hypertensive subjects, together with the changes in venous pressure induced by reflexogenic maneuvers (cold, Valsalva, hyperventilation, upright tilt) with the forearm circulation arrested. No significant difference was found in either the resting venous pressures (8.7 ± 0.9 mm Hg and 7.8 ± 0.6 mm Hg, respectively), the occluded venous pressures (20.7 ± 1.7 mm Hg and 19.7 ± 2.2 mm Hg), or the reflex venoconstrictor responses of the two groups ( cold: 12.1 ± 2.7 mm Hg and 14.4 ± 2.3 mm Hg; Valsalva: 8.4 ± 2.1 mm Hg and 8.8 ± 1.2 mm Hg; hyperventilation: 7.5 ± 1.8 mm Hg and 6.8 ± 1.1 mm Hg; 50° tilt: 6.7 ± 0.9 mm Hg and 6.6 ± 1.4 mm Hg). It is suggested that, even with normal venous pressure and reflex venomotor reactivity, other venous abnormalities might explain certain hemodynamic changes observed in essential hypertension.