RT Journal
A1 Woods JW, Liddle GW, Stant EG, Jr., Michelakis AM, Brill A
T1 EFfect of an adrenal inhibitor in hypertensive patients with suppressed renin
JF Archives of Internal Medicine
JO Archives of Internal Medicine
YR 1969
FD April 1
VO 123
IS 4
SP 366
OP 370
DO 10.1001/archinte.1969.00300140012004
UL http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/archinte.1969.00300140012004
AB Patients with essential hypertension can be divided into subpopulations according to their plasma renin values. Approximately 80% have normal or near-normal plasma renin values while 20% have distinctly subnormal renin values in response to the double stimuli of upright posture and sodium depletion. In the present study, nine patients with suppressed renin activity were compared with five patients with normal renin values in search of other physiologic differences that might shed light on the pathophysiology of the hypertensive state. Hypertensive patients with suppressed renin activity differed from those with nonsuppressed renin activity in two respects: They had significantly higher exchangeable sodium values, and they responded to the adrenal inhibitor, aminoglutethimide, with significant decreases in blood pressure. From the results of this study one might infer either that some unidentified mineralocorticoid is present in excessive quantities in the patients with suppressed plasma renin activity or that even normal levels of aldosterone