[Natriuretic hormone and blood pressure in patients with arterial hypertension]

The examination comprised 58 patients with essential hypertension and 17 with nephrogenic arterial hypertension. An analysis of the baseline levels of natural natriuretic factor in patients with essential and nephrogenic hypertension revealed no intergroup differences (55.3 +/- 3.0 and 45.7 +/- 5.2 ng/ml, respectively). The concentration of natural natriuretic factor was significantly higher in even patients with mild arterial hypertension than in healthy persons (28.4 +/- 4.7 and 17.4 +/- 2.9 ng/ml). There was a direct correlation between the level of natural natriuretic factor and blood pressure and left ventricular myocardial hypertrophy. There were higher positive correlations between the levels of natural natriuretic factor and those of hormones of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system and catecholamines in patients having a diastolic pressure of greater than 115 mm Hg. A significant increase in natural natriuretic factor levels (92.1 +/- 11.8 ng/ml) was found in the presence of hypertensive crisis.