Januszewicz A, Lapiński M, Symonides B, Dabrowska E, Kuch-Wocial A, Trzepla E, Ignatowska-Switalska H, Wocial B, Chodakowska J, Januszewicz W
Department of Hypertension and Angiology, Academy of Medicine, Warsaw, Poland.
J Cardiovasc Risk. 1994 Jun;1(1):81-5.
Endothelin-1 (ET-1) may play an important role in the development and maintenance of hypertensive states. In patients with essential hypertension, ET-1 plasma concentration increases or remains unchanged. The aim of the present study was to investigate ET-1 plasma concentration in patients with mild-to-moderate essential hypertension and its interrelationship with catecholamines, neuropeptide Y and atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP).
The study included 37 patients (mean age 38.2 +/- 1.6 years) with mild-to-moderate essential hypertension. The control group consisted of 21 healthy volunteers (mean age 35.6 +/- 1.4 years). ET-1, neuropeptide Y and ANP were determined by radioimmunoassay methods and catecholamine plasma concentration was determined radioenzymatically.
Our study shows that plasma ET-1 and neuropeptide Y levels are elevated in patients with essential hypertension compared with a control group. No correlation was found in either of the groups between plasma ET-1 level and plasma neuropeptide Y, catecholamine or ANP concentrations.
Our results suggest that ET-1 is relevant in the development and maintenance of elevated blood pressure.
