Baroreceptor-heart rate reflex sensitivity enhancement after urinary bladder distention in essential hypertensives.

Our objective was to determine if urinary bladder distention modifies the sensitivity of the baroreceptor-heart rate reflex in hypertensive and control subjects. The baroreceptor-heart rate reflex sensitivity was measured in 15 male patients (mean age 37+/-8 years) with mild untreated hypertension (mean 163+/-8/ 95+/-12 mmHg) and 17 age- and sex-matched control subjects before and after urinary bladder distention. Bladder filling was performed infusing saline heated to 37 degrees C via a urinary catheter; the volume infused in each patient corresponded to that which caused the urge to void without reaching the pain threshold.

Relationship between mechanical properties of the carotid artery wall and baroreflex function in acutely treated hypertensive patients.

Objective: To evaluate the relationship between the mechanical properties of the carotid artery wall and baroreflex function after acute reduction of blood pressure with lacidipine in essential hypertension.

Design: After 15 days of placebo washout, the hypertensive patients underwent a single-blind haemodynamic study before and 90 min after administration of 4 mg lacidipine (a dihydropyridine calcium antagonist).

Methods: Brachial intra-arterial blood pressure was recorded in eight mild-to-moderate essential hypertensive patients aged 40-53 years (mean +/- SEM 46.

A new ultrasonographic instrument for measuring vessel wall shear stress.

A new ultrasonographic machine (FRP II) has been developed to measure vessel wall shear stress. A multigate ultrasound probe sends an ultrasound beam simultaneously focused in subsequent points 0.2 mm from each other along the transverse axis of a blood vessel.