Beta-adrenergic blockade in diuretic-treated patients with essential hypertension

The influence of beta-adrenergic blockade (160 mg per day of propranolol for four weeks) on plasma renin activity, plasma volume, and arterial pressure was explored in 20 patients with essential hypertension with hyper-reninemia from long-term diuretic therapy. In 15 of these patients renin activity remained elevated (range, 3.1 to 23.0 ng per milliliter). Plasma volume was unchanged in eight, increased in 11 and reduced in one. In 17 subjects mean arterial pressure decreased by more than 10 mm Hg, but these impressive reductions could not be explained by quantitative changes in either renin activity (r equals 0.1) or plasma volume (r equals 0.1). These data suggest that suppression of plasma renin activity by beta-adrenergic blockade is not attainable during diuretic therapy and is not the major factor responsible for the antihypertensive action of propranolol.