METHODS TO QUANTIFY SYMPATHETIC CARDIOVASCULAR INFLUENCES

This paper will critically review the main features of the various tec hniques (plasma noradrenaline assay, noradrenaline spillover technique , microneurographic recording of postganglionic muscle sympathetic ner ve and power spectral analysis of blood pressure and heart rate signal s in specific bands) currently employed to assess sympathetic cardiova scular control in humans. After highlighting the advantages and limita tions of each approach, the paper will describe some of the results ob tained by employing the above mentioned techniques to detect abnormali ties in sympathetic cardiovascular tone in physiological and pathologi cal conditions.