The effect of selective and non-selective beta-adrenoceptor blockade, and of naloxone infusion, on the hormonal mechanisms of recovery from insulin-induced hypoglycaemia in man.

The rise in plasma adenosine-3',5'-monophosphate occurring in response to insulin induced hypoglycaemia in normal human subjects, was abolished by non-selective beta-adrenoceptor blockade but unaffected by selective beta 1-adrenoceptor blockade. This implies that the rise is secondary to beta 2-adrenoceptor stimulation. The abolition of this rise by non-selective beta-adrenoceptor blockade had no pronounced effect on the recovery from hypoglycaemia. Endogenous opiate receptor blockade with naloxone had no significant effect on the recovery from insulin induced hypoglycaemia, or the hormonal mechanisms involved.