[Status of the humoral system of renal prostaglandins in patients with hypertension].

The state of the renal prostaglandins (PG) system was assessed in 54 patients with essential hypertension, stage IB-IIA, as compared to that of patients with symptomatic arterial hypertensions. A decrease in renal PGE2 production, noted in all hypertensive patients and determined on the basis of its diurnal excretion, was particularly pronounced in essential hypertension. Diurnal PGE2 excretion decreased as hypertension progressed in patients with essential hypertension, and renal PGF2 alpha production became prevalent. Renal function is dependent on the level of PG production by the kidney. As renal concentration capacity decreases and renographic findings become less satisfactory, PGE2 excretion decreases as well. Salt loads can bring out functional insufficiency of the renal PG system in essential hypertension, as reflected in a much smaller increase in PGE2 excretion, as compared to the control values, at early stages of salt loading and a considerable increase in PGF2 alpha excretion. In essential hypertension, inadequate renal prostaglandin response to salt loading is, to a certain degree, related to changed renal PGE-9-ketoreductase activity.