[Adrenocorticotropic hormone in hypertension].

The corticotropic function of the adenohypophysis was investigated in patients with essential hypertension considering the stage of the disease and development of crisis. There was found functional activation of the system under study at the labile stage of essential hypertension without crisis as well as in patients with crisis at labile and stable stages of the disease. Unidirectional shifts were observed in the function of the vasopressor part of the hypothalamus-neurohypophyseal system.