Nitrendipine and the humoral control of sodium homeostasis

1. Nine healthy volunteers received 10 mg nitrendipine or placebo orally in random order. 2. In the subsequent 5 h urinary sodium excretion was 20% higher after nitrendipine, without any significant difference between the volume of urine excreted after nitrendipine or placebo. Mean blood pressure fell by 5 mm Hg (P less than 0.001), and mean heart rate increased by 5 beats min-1 (P less than 0.01) after nitrendipine but did not change after placebo. 3. These changes were accompanied by a significant elevation in plasma renin activity (P less than 0.001). A fall in plasma aldosterone following placebo appeared to be attenuated by nitrendipine. Plasma noradrenaline increased to a peak 3 h after nitrendipine administration (P less than 0.05) but did not change following placebo. A fall in the excretion of 6-keto PGF1 alpha following placebo was attenuated by nitrendipine. The total excretion of 6-keto PGF1 alpha after nitrendipine was significantly greater (P less than 0.05) than after placebo but not difference in the total excretion of PGE2 was detected. Nitrendipine did not affect urinary kallikrein excretion. 4. The natriuretic action of nitrendipine is not mediated by the kallikrein-kinin system, but may be related to changes in renal prostaglandins.