[Plasma renin activity, aldosterone and adrenergic activity in patients with hypertension and in normotensives with a family history of hypertension].

UNLABELLED

The aim of the study was to analyse plasma renin activity (PRA), aldosterone (Ald) and catecholamines at rest, after psychological stress and physical exercise in patients with essential hypertension (EH) and normotensive persons with (FH +) and without (FH-) family history of hypertension.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

100 men, aged 18-35 years, were investigated: 36 in EH, 32 in FH + and 32 in FH- groups. PRA, Ald and plasma level of adrenaline (A), noradrenaline (NA) and dopamine (D) were estimated at rest, after 30' of stress (Kraepelins test) and at the end and 30, after submaximal ergometric exercise.

RESULTS

The groups did not differ in respect to PRA and Ald in all periods of study as well as to A and NA at rest and during stress. A in EH and FH + as well as NA in FH + were significantly higher than FH- at the end and 30 after exercise. D in EH was higher (p < 0.05) than in both normotensive groups and at rest and stress than FH- during exercise and recovery. There were also some correlations between PRA, Ald and catecholamines. In FH + and FH- but not in EH group PRA and Ald positively correlated at rest (r = 0.588 and 0.612) and during stress (r = 0.626 and 0.477). On the contrary in EH as well as FH + groups PRA positively correlated with A (r = 0.385 and 0.368) and NA (r = 0.370 and 0.386) at rest. In addition PRA correlated positively with A during stress (r = 0.368) as well as with NA during recovery (r = 0.313) in FH + groups. Ald correlated with D positively in FH + (r + 0.380) and negatively (r = 0.304) in FH- at rest, whereas Ald was positively correlated with A in EH (r = 0.511) as well as in FH + (r = 0.354) during exercise.

CONCLUSIONS

Hypertension and family history of it changes adrenergic reactivity and influences the relationship between plasma renin activity, aldosterone, and catecholamines.