Skip to main content
PMC home page
British Medical Journal logoLink to British Medical Journal
. 1974 Jan 12;1(5897):60–62. doi: 10.1136/bmj.1.5897.60

β-Blockers and Plasma Renin Activity in Hypertension

G S Stokes, M A Weber, I R Thornell
PMCID: PMC1632883  PMID: 4149613

Abstract

Long-term treatment with propranolol was shown to produce a sustained suppression of the renin-aldosterone system in hypertensive patients, despite concurrent diuretic treatment. However, the antihypertensive effect of this treatment correlated poorly with its effects on plasma renin activity and urinary aldosterone excretion. When prindolol, another β-adrenergic blocking drug, was substituted for propranolol, blood pressure control was retained, but there was a prompt rise in plasma renin activity, which was not attributable to changes in electrolyte balance. These observations suggest that the antihypertensive action of propranolol and other β-blockers does not result from their effects on plasma renin activity.

Full text

PDF
60

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Ayers C. R., Harris R. H., Jr, Lefer L. G. Control of renin release in experimental hypertension. Circ Res. 1969 May;24(5 Suppl):103–112. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Barrett A. M., Carter J. Comparative chronotropic activity of beta-adrenoceptive antagonists. Br J Pharmacol. 1970 Nov;40(3):373–381. doi: 10.1111/j.1476-5381.1970.tb10619.x. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Bühler F. R., Laragh J. H., Baer L., Vaughan E. D., Jr, Brunner H. R. Propranolol inhibition of renin secretion. A specific approach to diagnosis and treatment of renin-dependent hypertensive diseases. N Engl J Med. 1972 Dec 14;287(24):1209–1214. doi: 10.1056/NEJM197212142872401. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Castenfors J., Johnsson H., Orö L. Effect of alprenolol on blood pressure and plasma renin activity in hypertensive patients. Acta Med Scand. 1973 Mar;193(3):189–195. doi: 10.1111/j.0954-6820.1973.tb10560.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Coghlan J. P., Scoggins B. A. Measurement of aldosterone in peripheral blood of man and sheep. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1967 Oct;27(10):1470–1486. doi: 10.1210/jcem-27-10-1470. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Esler M. D., Nestel P. J. High catecholamine essential hypertension: clinical and physiological characteristics. Aust N Z J Med. 1973 Apr;3(2):117–123. doi: 10.1111/j.1445-5994.1973.tb03963.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Haber E., Koerner T., Page L. B., Kliman B., Purnode A. Application of a radioimmunoassay for angiotensin I to the physiologic measurements of plasma renin activity in normal human subjects. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1969 Oct;29(10):1349–1355. doi: 10.1210/jcem-29-10-1349. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Hill R. C., Turner P. Preliminary investigations of a new beta-adrenoceptive receptor blocking drug, LB46, in man. Br J Pharmacol. 1969 Jun;36(2):368–372. doi: 10.1111/j.1476-5381.1969.tb09511.x. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Michelakis A. M., McAllister R. G. The effect of chronic adrenergic receptor blockade on plasma renin activity in man. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1972 Feb;34(2):386–394. doi: 10.1210/jcem-34-2-386. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Morgan T. O., Louis W. J., Dawborn J. K., Doyle A. E. The use of prindolol (Visken) in the treatment of hypertension. Med J Aust. 1972 Aug 5;2(6):309–312. doi: 10.5694/j.1326-5377.1972.tb47306.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from British Medical Journal are provided here courtesy of BMJ Publishing Group

RESOURCES