RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ARTERIAL AND PERIPHERAL VENOUS CATECHOLAMINE PLASMA-CATECHOLAMINE CONCENTRATIONS DURING INFUSION OF NORADRENALINE AND ADRENALINE IN HEALTHY-VOLUNTEERS

Noradrenaline and adrenaline were infused IV at 5 different rates (0.01-0.2-mu-g . kg - min -1) for 30 min to volunteers. The plasma catecholamine concentrations were determined by HPLC and electro-chemical detection. At the highest infusion rate, the arterial and venous plasma concentrations of noradrenaline increased from 1. 18 to 44.1 nmol.l-1 and from 1.14 to 31.9 nmol.l-1, respectively, and of adrenaline from 0.29 to 23.9 nmol.l-1 and from 0.28 to 19.3 nmol . l -1, respectively. The peripheral venous plasma concentration of noradrenaline averaged 76 % of the arterial concentration,1 and of adrenaline it was 73 %. There was a linear relationship between the peripheral venous and arterial plasma noradrenaline and adrenaline concentrations at therapeutic doses.