[Is there a correlation between serum dopamine level and blood pressure during upright posture?]

Abstract

In the face known antihypertensive action of small dopamine (DA) concentrations, serum free and conjugated dopamine levels were determined during orthostatic impulse. It was also estimated, whether correlation between blood pressure changes and serum dopamine concentration existed under those conditions. 9 patients with borderline hypertension, 8 with fixed hypertension and 5 healthy volunteers (control group) underwent the 10 minute passive tilt up test. It caused significant decrease of free DA concentration in healthy men as well as in those with borderline hypertension and conjugated DA level in both groups of patients with primary hypertension. Blood pressure increased only in patients with borderline hypertension. Most expressed changes in dopamine concentration were also observed in those patients and they only had increased serum DBH activity. Blood pressure changes inversely correlated with changes of serum free and/or conjugated DA levels in the control group and in patients with primary hypertension. Authors stated basing on this study results, that serum DA level lowering caused by the orthostatic impulse can be one of phenomenons enable adaptation for a vertical position.