At the end of a diagnostic right heart catheterization ten patients received an intravenous
infusion of l-adrenaline which gradually increased the arterial plasma adrenaline
concentration from resting physiological values to high values as seen during myocardial
infarction, pheochromocytoma and hypoglycemia. Blood was sampled from the brachial
artery, femoral vein and hepatic vein. During the adrenaline infusion venous beta-thromboglobulin
concentrations increased 23% from 61 ± 5 to 80 ± 7 μg/l (mean ± SE), arterial platelet
counts 20% from 212 ± 17 to 253 ± 25 × 109/l and arterial platelet volume 4% from 7.25 ± 0.20 to 7.56 ± 0.21 femtoliter. All
changes were significant at the 5% level. Thus, acute increments of arterial plasma
adrenaline significantly stimulated the blood platelet parameters studied.
Keywords
Beta-thromboglobulin - Catecholamines - Platelet function - Thrombosis