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α-Adrenoceptor Blockers for Management of Hypertension in the Elderly

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Hypertension in the Elderly

Part of the book series: Clinical Hypertension and Vascular Diseases ((CHVD))

Abstract

The arterial pressure is regulated by changes in cardiac output and/or systemic vascular resistance. Effective perfusion of body organs requires appropriate resistance to blood flow to maintain arterial pressure. In the systemic vasculature, the major factor of vascular resistance is smooth muscle tone, which helps regulate the most important determinant of resistance to flow, the cross-sectional area of a vessel. There are two major neurohormonal systems that regulate cardiovascular function, including smooth muscle tone: the autonomic nervous system and the renin-angiotensin system. The peripheral autonomic nervous system has three main components: (a) the sympathetic nervous system (SNS), which comprises the autonomic outflow from the thoracic and high lumbar segments of the spinal cord; (b) the parasympathetic nervous system, which includes the outflow from the cranial nerves and the low lumbar and sacral spinal cord; and (c) the enteric nervous system, which is intrinsic neurons in the wall of the gut. In addition to the blood vessels, the urinary bladder, penis, and prostate also have smooth muscle cells (SMCs) innervated by SNS and parasympathetic nervous system neurons to help regulate micturition, erection, and ejaculation (1).

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departments of Medicine and Pharmacology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX

    James L. Pool MD

Authors
  1. James L. Pool MD
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, GA

    L. Michael Prisant MD

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© 2005 Humana Press Inc., Totowa, NJ

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Pool, J.L. (2005). α-Adrenoceptor Blockers for Management of Hypertension in the Elderly. In: Prisant, L.M. (eds) Hypertension in the Elderly. Clinical Hypertension and Vascular Diseases. Humana Press. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-59259-911-0_19

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-59259-911-0_19

  • Publisher Name: Humana Press

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-58829-197-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-59259-911-0

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

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