Effects of hexamethonium on normal individuals in relation to its concentration in the plasma / by Brenda Morrison and W.D.M. Paton.

  • Morrison, Brenda.
Date:
[1953?]
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Effects of hexamethonium on normal individuals in relation to its concentration in the plasma / by Brenda Morrison and W.D.M. Paton. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Reprinted from the British Medical Journal June 13, 1953, vol. i, p. 1299 EFFECTS OF HEXAMETHONIUM ON NORMAL INDIVIDUALS IN RELATION TO ITS CONCENTRATION IN THE PLASMA BY BRENDA MORRISON, M.D.* Research Assistant, Department of Medicine, Postgraduate Medical School of London AND W. D. M. EATON, B.M.f National Institute for Medical Research, Mill Hill, London, N.W.7 Since hexamethonium was introduced as a ganglion¬ blocking agent (Paton and Zaimis, 1948) a number of publications have reported upon its effectiveness in the treatment of hypertension and certain other disorders ; but, apart from the original observations of Organe, Paton, and Zaimis (1949) and reports by Arnold and Rosenheim (1949), Arnold, Goetz, and Rosenheim (1949), Burt and Graham (1950), and Grob and Harvey (1950) on the production of hypotension in the recum¬ bent subject with marked fall in blood pressure on stand¬ ing up, subsequent attention has been directed mainly to the effects of the drug in disease rather than in normal individuals. Clinical experience with a series of hypertensive patients being treated with hexamethonium at Hammer¬ smith Hospital revealed very early that the reactions were of a most complex nature, and correspondingly difficult to interpret. We felt, therefore, that a further study of the actions of this agent in normal man was necessary. Clinical Method Eighteen observations were made on 16 normal young adult volunteers (4 women and 12 men). Since the best clinical results seem to be obtained from regular sub- *In receipt of a grant from Messrs. May and Baker Ltd f Now at University College Hospital Medical School, Univer¬ sity Street, London, W.C.l 384/53