Plasma noradrenaline and adrenaline concentrations and dopamine-beta-hydroxylase activity in patients with shock due to septicaemia, trauma and haemorrhage.

Plasma adrenaline and noradrenaline concentrations and dopamine-beta-hydroxylase activities were measured in patients with septicaemic, traumatic or haemorrhagic shock. Irrespective of the type of shock plasma adrenaline and noradrenaline concentrations were increased above the normal range. This is in keeping with the clinical features of increased sympathetic nervous system and adrenal medullary activity present in these patients. Plasma dopamine-beta-hydroxylase activities were within the normal limits in all forms of shock indicating the poor relationship of this measurement to sympathetic nervous system activity. In patients who died plasma noradrenaline concentrations remained persistently elevated above normal while in those who survived there was a rapid decline towards the normal range.