Beta‐adrenergic receptor blocking drugs, hypertension and plasma renin.

Abstract

1 Propranolol and pindolol reduced both the blood pressure and plasma renin activity when given chronically to hypertensive patients. 2 There was no correlation between the fall in blood pressure and the fall in plasma renin activity. 3 Neither the basal nor the random plasma renin activity predicted the patients who would respond to beta‐adrenergic receptor blocking drugs. 4 Oral propranolol reduced plasma renin activity but did not reduce blood pressure within 4 h of administration; oral pindolol reduced blood pressure but did not reduce plasma renin activity within 4 h of administration. 5 The reduction of blood pressure by propranolol and pindolol does not seem to be mediated by changes in plasma renin in most patients.

The effect on blood pressure of beta‐adrenoceptor blocking drugs administered once daily and their duration of action when therapy is ceased.

“…Male patients, in particular, find that this avoids the (Morgan, Roberts, Camey, Louis & Doyle, 1975). In this study we again found that individual patients could have a marked fall in blood pressure with little change in plasma renin activity (Morgan, et al, 1975). The converse a fall in plasma renin activity with no fall in blood pressure could not apply as such patients were excluded by our mode of selection of patients for this study.…”

Renin and beta‐adenoceptor blockade‐the mechanism of the hypotensive effect?

“…This problem has been resolved by Bilhler et al (1975) who found comparable effects on the plasma renin response to upright exercise on doses having a similar effect on exercise tachycardia with propranolol, practolol, oxprenolol, pindolol and atenolol (ICI 66082). Contrary to previous reports (Koch-Weser, 1975) The second objection is that the dose-response and the timing of the response is different for suppression of renin and for control of hypertension (Morgan, Roberts, Carney, Louis & Doyle, 1975). Suppression of plasma renin activity is achieved by relatively small doses, similar to those controlling exercise tachycardia but very large doses are often required for the effective control of hypertension (Leonetti, Mayer, Terzoli, Zanchetti, Bianchetti, Morsalli, Di Salle & Chidsey, 1975).…”

Effect of calcium carbonate on blood pressure in normotensive and hypertensive people.

“…The other variable reported to influence the response to calcium is plasma renin or more correctly the renin classification of a patient by the method of Brunner et al 44 We have not been able to observe such a relation 45 in a cross-sectional study of a population. Thus we have been unable to classify subjects in this fashion.…”