Aldosterone and renin in essential hypertension

Abstract EN

One hundred patients with primary "essential" hypertension were included in this study.

They were divided into three groups representing the three grades of hypertension : Group A : Diastolic blood pressure (DDP) 90-104 mmHg comprised 31 patients.

Group B : DBP105114 mmHg comprised 28 patients.

Group C : DBP > 144 mmHg comprised 41 patients.

Twenty apparently healthy nonnotensive subjects were included as a control group (N).

All causes of sacondary hypertension were excluded as renal, endocrine, cardiac., etc.

by through physical examination and other investigations e.g.

24 h-urine analysis, serum sodium, BUN, S.

creatinine CBC, fasting and 2 h pp blood glycose, lipogram, abdominal sonar, plain U.T.

& IVP.

We estimated serum levels of renin, aldosterone, sodium and potassium in all groups.

The individual data revealed that four patients out of one hundred had primary aldosteronism, three of them had hyporeninaemia and one had normoreninaemia.

Secondary hyperaldosteronism was found in 28 patients, hyperreninaemia in 30 patients and normoreninaemia in 38 patients.

Statistical analysis of our data showed that there was no significant variation of mean serum aldosterone, sodium and potassium between all groups, whereas there was a significant increase in the plasma renin activity (PRA) in the hypertensive groups (A,B and C).

Moreover, there was no significant difference inbetween the hypertenisve groups themselves as regards the PRA.