To evaluate the activity of sympathetic system and of plasm renin in elderly patients with borderline (BH) and established essential hypertension (EH), 31 BH mean age 38 years and 30 EH, mean age 39 years; 15 BH, mean age 66 years, and 15 EH, mean age 68 years, were studied at rest and after dynamic exercise. At the same time blood pressure and heart rate were automatically recorded, while blood samples were collected for PRA and plasma epinephrine (E) and norepinephrine (NE) assays. Plasma E levels showed no significant differences between the groups examined at rest. Nevertheless, young BH had higher plasma E levels than young EH after stress and elderly BH showed plasma E levels higher than age-matched EH in response to dynamic exercise. The PRA behaviour was similar among all the groups, but dynamic exercise induced a greater increase in BH than in EH. Moreover, the stress-induced increase in plasma NE levels was higher in EH than in BH. Our results demonstrate in old BH, as well as in young BH, a response of E to stress greater than in the age-matched EH. In our study BH, both young and old subjects, seem to be characterized by a sympathoadrenal overactivity pointed out by an excessive release of E from the adrenal gland after stress. This exaggerated sympathoadrenal reactivity may constitute an important mechanism in triggering hypertension independent of age.