Explanation of Cocaine Desensitization of Blood Pressure Responses to Ephedrine
Carolyn Cannon 1,
F. F. Cowan 1,
T. Koppanyi 1, and
G. D. Maengwyn-Davies 1
1 Department of Pharmacology, Georgetown University Schools of Medicine and Dentistry, Washington, D. C.
It is suggested that cocaine desensitizes ephedrine blood pressure responses by depletion of norepinephrine depots. This was shown by reversing cocaine desensitization through the administration of agents such as bretylium, which has a sparing effect on norepinephrine, and by the infusion of norepinephrine itself.