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The 24-h pattern of plasma renin activity (PRA), inactive renin (IR), plasma aldosterone (PA) and cortisol was studied in 13 normal men and 12 male patients with essential hypertension, all of whom were older than 55 years. Following gradual habituation over 4 days to the sleep laboratory and intravenous lines, blood samples were obtained every 2 h between 0900-2100 h and every 30 min between 2100-0900 h, during which sleep was also monitored. Plasma renin activity showed a circadian rhythm in both groups, but mean levels were lower in the hypertensive subjects (0.92 +/- 0.03 versus 1.41 +/- 0.06 ng/ml per h). The circadian rhythm of PRA in older men appeared to follow the same pattern described in younger individuals. Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep was associated with a small decrease in PRA, but this link was only evident in the normotensive group. Mean 24-h IR levels were also lower in the hypertensive group (7.26 +/- 0.18 versus 15.10 +/- 0.47 ng/ml per h) but were not affected by clock-time and generally showed no association with the 24-h PRA cycle. Mean 24-h PA was closely related to cortisol but not to PRA in both groups. Mean PA levels of the two groups were similar. Thus, the PA:PRA ratio was higher in the hypertensive group. The higher basal PA:PRA ratio in older hypertensives that emerged over the 24-h study period may reflect increased sensitivity of the adrenal gland to angiotensin II (ANG II) in hypertension of the elderly.
N Stern, and
J R Sowers, and
D McGinty, and
E Beahm, and
M Littner, and
R Catania, and
P Eggena
August 1974,
The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism,
N Stern, and
J R Sowers, and
D McGinty, and
E Beahm, and
M Littner, and
R Catania, and
P Eggena
January 1975,
Proceedings of the European Dialysis and Transplant Association. European Dialysis and Transplant Association,
N Stern, and
J R Sowers, and
D McGinty, and
E Beahm, and
M Littner, and
R Catania, and
P Eggena
October 1977,
Bollettino della Societa italiana di biologia sperimentale,
N Stern, and
J R Sowers, and
D McGinty, and
E Beahm, and
M Littner, and
R Catania, and
P Eggena
August 1981,
Maturitas,
N Stern, and
J R Sowers, and
D McGinty, and
E Beahm, and
M Littner, and
R Catania, and
P Eggena
January 1990,
Revue roumaine de physiologie (Bucharest, Romania : 1990),
N Stern, and
J R Sowers, and
D McGinty, and
E Beahm, and
M Littner, and
R Catania, and
P Eggena
January 1979,
Annals of clinical and laboratory science,
N Stern, and
J R Sowers, and
D McGinty, and
E Beahm, and
M Littner, and
R Catania, and
P Eggena
January 1979,
Minerva cardioangiologica,
N Stern, and
J R Sowers, and
D McGinty, and
E Beahm, and
M Littner, and
R Catania, and
P Eggena
January 1982,
Proceedings of the Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine. Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine (New York, N.Y.),
N Stern, and
J R Sowers, and
D McGinty, and
E Beahm, and
M Littner, and
R Catania, and
P Eggena
January 1980,
Acta physiologica Polonica,
N Stern, and
J R Sowers, and
D McGinty, and
E Beahm, and
M Littner, and
R Catania, and
P Eggena
November 1992,
Journal of gerontology,
