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Heart 1998;80:127-133; doi:10.1136/hrt.80.2.127
Copyright © 1998 BMJ Publishing Group Ltd & British Cardiovascular Society

Heart 1998;80:127-133 ( August )

Angiotensin II modulates cardiovascular autonomic control in the absence of baroreflex loading

J C Vaile,a J Fletcher,b W A Littler,a J H Coote,b J N Townenda

a Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK, b Department of Physiology, University of Birmingham

Correspondence to: Dr J C Vaile, Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TH, UK. email: j.c.vaile{at}bham.ac.uk

Accepted for publication 24 April 1998

Objective---To investigate the effects of angiotensin II in the absence of baroreflex activation.
Design---Ten healthy male volunteers were studied in a single blind, randomised, crossover study of heart rate variability during intravenous angiotensin II infusion (5-20 ng/kg/min) compared with a control pressor infusion of phenylephrine (0.7-2.8 µg/kg/min). Each infusion was titrated to increase mean blood pressure by 20 mm Hg; sodium nitroprusside was then infused simultaneously to restore blood pressure to baseline values.
Results---During concomitant angiotensin II (AII) and sodium nitroprusside (SNP) infusion, the mean (SD) RR interval (864 (117) ms) was significantly shorter than during phenylephrine (PE) and sodium nitroprusside infusion (1057 (163) ms), and was significantly shorter than at baseline (999 (164) ms), despite comparable levels of blood pressure. Values of high frequency heart rate variability measured in the time and frequency domains were significantly lower during AII/SNP infusion than during PE/SNP: percentage of successive RR interval differences exceeding 50 ms, 30(16)% v 57(21)%; root mean square of successive RR interval differences, 63 (39) v 90 (40) ms; high frequency power 0.48 (0.19) v 0.66 (0.26) nu.
Conclusions---When the pressor response is controlled by sodium nitroprusside, angiotensin II infusion is associated with tachycardia. Analysis of heart rate variability suggests that this reflects inhibition of cardiac vagal activity.

Keywords: angiotensin II;  heart rate variability;  autonomic nervous system;  parasympathetic nervous system

© 1998 by Heart
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