Orthostatic dysregulation in progressive autonomic failure--a transcranial Doppler sonography monitoring.

Hemodynamic changes associated with orthostatic hypotension in one patient with pure progressive autonomic failure (PAF) were studied by a passive (70 degrees tilt of the upper part of the body) and an active orthostatic tests. Mean blood pressure (MBP), heart rate (HR) and mean blood flow velocity (MFV) during transcranial Doppler sonography monitoring of the right middle cerebral artery (RMCA) were determined after 10 minutes of rest and after 1, 10 and 60 minutes passive 70 degrees tilt or active standing. Simultaneously, plasma norepinephrine (NE) levels during recumbency and after 1 and 10 min of the orthostatic manoeuvres were measured.