Correlations of the fibrinogen level with the blood pressure and with the plasma renin activity in hypertensive patients. Preliminary communication.

The blood pressure, the plasma renin activity and the fibrinogen level were examined in 44 hypertensive patients. It was found that the fibrinogen level was significantly elevated compared to the control group, but even so remained below the upper limit of the normal value. The increase was even more pronounced in hypertension associated with renal parenchymatous disease, and most marked in malignant hypertension. A significant linear correlation was found between plasma renin activity and the fibrinogen level, between the systolic pressure and the fibrinogen level, and between the diastolic pressure and the fibrinogen level. Questions connected with these correlations and relating to the pathogenesis are discussed.