Clinical use of plasma renin assays

The use of plasma renin assays in clinical practice is reviewed and experience with an assay for plasma renin activity (PRA) is reported. In normal subjects, 10am ambulant PRA was significantly related to plasma angiotensin II levels but not related to daily urine sodium exretion in these subjects consuming normal diets. PRA was suppressed in patients with mineralocorticoid hypertension and in a small proportion of patients with essential hypertension. Very high values were observed in patients with untreated primary adrenal insufficiency, treatment of which resulted in a prompt fall of PRA to normal. PRA was usually normal in adrenalectomised patients and those with chronic adrenal insufficiency receiving satisfactory steroid replacement therapy. It is concluded that provided standardised conditions are used for the collection and assay, PRA is helpful in the assessment of hypokalaemic hypertension as well as in the early detection and management of patients with primary adrenal insufficiency or related conditions of salt wasting.