[Hormonal mechanisms in the regulation of arterial pressure and its hemodynamic structure in old age]

Age-related increase of vascular resistance determines blood pressure (BP) level in normotensive and hypertensive people. Maintenance of normotension in old age is connected with a decrease of the cardiac output. Increased cardiac output is considered to be an important factor of arterial hypertension in old age. Disturbances in renin-angiotensin-aldosterone and hypophyseal-adrenal systems are observed with advanced age and their degree increases in arterial hypertension. Variability of BP within normal range is closely connected with plasma aldosterone and cortisol concentrations. BP level and increased cardiac output are related to increased plasma ACTH and vasopressin concentrations in hypertensive subjects.