ADRENALINE RELEASE BY THE HUMAN HEART

1. Radiotracer methods were used to measure the rates of regional release of adrenaline and noradrenaline to plasma in humans. 2. No release of adrenaline could be detected from the heart, lungs, liver and kidneys at rest. 3. With the relatively mild activation of the cardiac sympathetic overflow associated with mental challenge and isometric exercise, cardiac adrenaline release remained undetectable. 4. During supine bicycle exercise, which increased cardiac noradrenaline release 10-20 fold, to a mean value of 128 ng/min, cardiac adrenaline release averaged 1.63 ng/min. 5. Whether neuronal adrenaline release of this degree in the heart is sufficient to facilitate noradrenaline release and to augment sympathetically mediated cardiac responses remains to be tested.