KEY POINTS

1. The ANS works in concert with renin, cortisone, and other hormones to respond to internal and external stresses.
2. The hallmark of the sympathetic nervous system is amplification; the hallmark of the parasympathetic nervous system is targeted response.
3. Inhaled and intravenous anesthetics can alter hemodynamics by influencing autonomic function.
4. β-Adrenergic blockade has emerged as an important prophylaxis for ischemia and as therapy for hypertension, MI, and CHF.
5. The sympathetic nervous system demonstrates acute and chronic adaptation to stress presynaptically and postsynaptically (e.g., biosynthesis, receptor regulation).
6. Presynaptic α-receptors play an important role in regulating sympathetic release.
7. Many therapies for the treatment of hypertension are based on direct or indirect effects of sympathetic function.
8. The vagus nerve is the superhighway of parasympathetic function, accommodating 75% of parasympathetic traffic.
9. Aging and many disease states (e.g., diabetes, spinal cord injury) are accompanied by important changes in autonomic function.