Human sympathetic neurovascular transduction during isocapnic hypoxia

Abstract

In addition to its ventilatory effects, acute hypoxia also elicits a tachycardia and sympatho-excitation. However, despite an elevation in sympathetic activity, vasoconstriction is not routinely observed. This apparent uncoupling between steady state sympathetic activity and vascular tone may or may not involve altered sympathetic transduction. Therefore, we set out to assess the effect of hypoxia on the transduction of sympathetic activity into vascular responses (sympathetic neurovascular transduction).