Role of the renin-angiotensin system in hypertension after coarctation of the aorta.

The effect of inhibition of angiotensin I converting enzyme by captopril was studied in rats with aortic coarctation produced above the renal arteries. When captopril therapy was started before coarctation, blood pressure above the narrowing and the pressure difference across the coarctation were reduced, compared with values in animals with coarctation not given therapy. When captopril therapy was started 10 days after the coarctation, there was no effect on blood pressure. Plasma renin activity increased 24 hours after coarctation and returned to control levels by 5 days. Captopril caused an increase in renin activity and a decrease in plasma aldosterone concentrations. After 5 days, there was no difference in renin activity and plasma aldosterone levels between animals with coarctation given captopril therapy early and late and between appropriate controls. Our data suggest that the renin-angiotensin system is important in the early development but not in the maintenance of coarctation hypertension.