[The hypotensive effect of propranolol: pathophysiological and clinical approach (author's transl)]

The hypotensive effect of propranolol and its correlation with the fall in heart rate, plasma volume and plasma renin activity produced by this drug, were studied in 20 hypertensive hospitalised patients. Heart rate and plasma volume fell to approximately the same level (20%) in all cases, while the hypotensive response varied according to the pretreatment levels of plasma renin activity. Patients with low renin did not respond, while those with normal renin and especially those with high renin responded with a significant fall in blood pressure which was directly correlated to the fall of plasma renin activity. It is concluded that propranolol might be the specific treatment for hypertension in those cases which are accompanied or caused by high plasma renin.