Reduced levels of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) but not substance P during and after treatment of severe hypertension in man.

Little is known of the significance of perivascular peptides in hypertension. In this study we have investigated the circulating levels of calcitonin gene-related peptide-like immunoreactivity (CGRP-LI) and substance P- like immunoreactivity (SP-LI) during and after treatment of severe hypertension. Seventeen patients with a mean blood pressure of 204/127 mmHg were included. Circulating levels of CGRP-LI and SP-LI in normotensive controls were 35 +/- 4 and 1.2 +/- 0.1 pmol/l, respectively. In the hypertensives CGRP-LI was significantly lower (22 +/- 3 pmol/l: P less than 0.05) while SP-LI did not differ (1.6 +/- 0.3 pmol/l) from the normotensives. After treatment the circulating level of CGRP-LI was still significantly lower (16 +/- 2 pmol/l: P less than 0.001) while SP-LI remained unchanged when compared with the controls. These observations suggest an involvement of vascular afferent nerves in the aetiology of hypertension in man.