Faculty Collaboration Database

Aldosterone and alterations of hypertension-related vascular function in African Americans. Am J Hypertens 2009 Mar;22(3):319-24

Date

01/20/2009

Pubmed ID

19151694

DOI

10.1038/ajh.2008.327

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-60549115977 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   30 Citations

Abstract

BACKGROUND: African Americans have a high prevalence of hypertension and hypertension-related vascular disease. We previously reported that plasma aldosterone concentrations are relatively high in hypertensive African Americans. This study evaluates the hypothesis that hypertension and hypertension-related alterations of peripheral vascular and renal vascular function are associated with aldosterone.

METHODS: Twenty four-hour blood pressures, cardiac output, renal blood flow (RBF), plasma renin activity (PRA), and plasma aldosterone were measured in hypertensive and normotensive African Americans. Hemodynamic measurements were repeated in response to graded infusions of norepinephrine (NE).

RESULTS: Ambulatory blood pressures in hypertensives and normotensives were 142 +/- 1/86 +/- 1 and 117 +/- 1/70 +/- 1 mm Hg, respectively. Cardiac index (CI) was lower (P < 0.01), peripheral vascular resistance was higher (P < 0.0001), arterial compliance was lower (P < 0.0001), RBF was lower (P = 0.04), and renal vascular resistance (RVR) was higher (P < 0.0001) in the hypertensives. Overall, blood pressures were positively correlated with peripheral vascular resistance (P < 0.0001) and inversely correlated with vascular compliance (P < 0.0001). In response to NE, hypertensives had greater increases of systolic blood pressure (P < 0.004) and pulse pressure (P < 0.005). PRA was lower (P < 0.0001) and plasma aldosterone was higher (P < 0.0001) in the hypertensives. Overall, blood pressures and pulse pressure were correlated with aldosterone (P < or = 0.01). Vascular compliance, RVR, and the increment of RVR in response to NE were also correlated with aldosterone (P < or = 0.03).

CONCLUSIONS: Aldosterone may contribute to hypertension and to hypertension-related alterations of peripheral vascular and renal vascular function in African Americans.

Author List

Kotchen TA, Kotchen JM, Grim CE, Krishnaswami S, Kidambi S

Author

Srividya Kidambi MD Sr Medical Director, Chief, Professor in the Medicine department at Medical College of Wisconsin

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Adolescent
Adult
Aldosterone
Anthropometry
Cardiac Output
Catecholamines
Female
Hemodynamics
Humans
Hypertension
Male
Middle Aged
Norepinephrine
Regional Blood Flow
Renal Circulation
Renin
Stroke Volume
Vasoconstrictor Agents