[The importance of changes in whole-body balance of sodium and noradrenaline in essential hypertension (author's transl)].

In 22 patients with essential hypertension plasma levels and urine excretions of sodium and noradrenaline were studied before, during and after long-term beta-blockade with pindolol. The relation between mean blood pressure and the quotient of sodium-/noradrenaline-excretion changed during treatment (placebo r=-0.34; pindolol r=+0.31). During placebo there existed a significant (p is less than 0.03) correlation between blood pressure and sodium-excretion which disappeared during beta-blockade. No correlation between blood pressure and noradrenaline was seen during placebo, whereas during beta-blockade a significant (p is less than 0.003) correlation was observed. In contrast to the placebo period there was a significant positive correlation between sodium- and noradrenaline-excretion during long-term treatment with pindolol. It is concluded that whole-body balance of sodium and noradrenaline is an important factor in essential hypertension.