[Plasma renin activity, plasma volume extracellular fluid volume and cardiac output in essential hypertension (author's transl)].

The plasma renin activity (PRA), the plasma volume (PV), the extracellular fluid volume (ECV), the cardiac output and the peripheral vascular resistance (TPR) were determined in 51 patients (14 women, 37 men) with essential hypertension of varying severity. The following findings were achieved: 1. In 9 of the 51 patients with essential hypertension (approximately 18%) a low and non-sensitive PRA was detected. 2. PV, ECV, cardiac output and the calculated peripheral vascular resistance of the essential hypertensive patients with low and non-sensitive PRA did not differ significantly from those of the essential hypertensive patients with normal or elevated PRA. 3. The hypertensive patients with low and nonsensitive PRA had the highest average arterial pressure. From these findings it can be concluded that the essential hypertensive patients with low PRA are not an homogeneous group. It is assumed that in a subgroup the elevated blood pressure may be the cause of the renin suppression.