Final answer:
Sympathomimetic drugs stimulate the body's fight-or-flight response, leading to artificially elevated blood pressure and pulse rate by increasing sympathetic nervous system activity.
Step-by-step explanation:
Sympathomimetic drugs are known for their effects on the autonomic nervous system, specifically by mimicking or increasing the actions of substances such as norepinephrine and epinephrine that are released by the adrenal glands. When sympathomimetic drugs are in action, they can cause an elevated blood pressure and pulse rate, similar to the body's natural response to stressful or exciting situations that involve increasing heart rate and blood flow for a heightened state of alertness and physical readiness.
Sympathomimetic drugs bind to adrenergic receptors and operate in a way that increases the activity of the sympathetic nervous system, therefore, leading to cardiovascular effects such as increased blood pressure and heart rate. In contrast, other classes of drugs, like β-blockers, have the opposite effect by blocking these receptors, which can lead to a depressed or normal state of these vital signs.
In summary, the specific answer to the student's question is: Sympathomimetic drugs artificially cause the transmission of messages that produce elevated blood pressure and pulse rate.