&NA;In order to evaluate uptake kinetics of norepinephrine (NE) in different tissues, a catheterization study was performed in control subjects (n=6) and patients with enhanced sympathetic nervous activity (cirrhosis,n=12) during constant intravenous infusion of L[3H]norepinephrine ([3H]NE) for 75 minutes. In spite of a higher NE spillover from kidneys in patients compared with controls (82 vs. 49 ng/min,p<0.01), renal extraction ratios of [3H]NE were similar in the two groups (0.33 vs. 0.32, NS), and no significant change was observed during the time of infusion. In contrast, liver‐intestine extraction ratios of [3H]NE decreased significantly and equally with infusion time in patients (from 0.57 to 0.44,p<0.01) and controls (from 0.59 to 0.46,p<0.01). This was observed despite the fact that spillover of NE from this vascular bed was observed only in patients with cirrhosis and not in controls (41 vs. −5 ng/min,p<0.02). In the lower limb, net release of NE was similar in patients and controls, and extraction ratios of [3H]NE decreased almost equally with infusion time (from 0.35 to 0.30,p<0.01 and from 0.40 to 0.24,p<0.1, respectively). Whole‐body clearance of [3H]NE decreased over time in patients (−6%,p<0.01) and controls (−20%,p<0.01), but significant difference was not observed between the groups. We conclude that failure to attain a steady state with respect to [3H]NE removal was demonstrated in areas of large tissue volume relative to blood flow. This was found under the condition of high as well as low spillover of NE. Therefore, in addition to neuronal tracer rerelease, delayed distribution of the tracer in some tissues seems to be important for the changing whole‐body clearance observed. (Circulation Research1989;65:388‐395)