Growth hormone secretion in hypertensive patients: evidence for a derangement in central adrenergic function.

1. In an attempt to test the hypothesis of a derangement in central catecholaminergic function in hypertensive patients, the serum growth hormone and prolactin responses to the alpha-adrenergic agonist clonidine (0.15 mg infused intravenously) and to L-dopa administration (500 mg orally) were evaluated in 15 hypertensive and 15 normotensive subjects matched for sex, age and body weight. 2. Whereas L-dopa elicited a growth hormone response of similar magnitude in both groups, clonidine infusion induced a significant increase in serum growth hormone in normotensive, but not in hypertensive, subjects. 3. Prolactin levels were equally suppressed by L-dopa and did not change after clonidine in either group. 4. The present study adds neuroendocrine evidence to the concept of a derangement in central alpha-adrenergic function in human hypertension.