Renin, calcium metabolism and the pathophysiologic basis of antihypertensive therapy

The renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system regulates blood pressure and volume homeostasis in addition to sodium and potassium metabolism, and may be linked to divalent cation metabolism as well as hypertensive disease. In essential hypertension, circulating serum magnesium and Ca++, and the calcium regulating hormones, parathyroid hormone, calcitonin and 1,25 dihydroxyvitamin (1,25D) are different in the various renin subgroups. Elevated blood pressure induced by such maneuvers as dietary salt loading is associated with exacerbations of these calcium metabolic deviations, and appears related to salt-induced changes in serum Ca++ or 1,25D levels. Short- or longer-term lowering of blood pressure with the calcium-channel blocker, nifedipine, or with calcium or magnesium supplementation is associated with a shift of renin system activity and calcium metabolic indexes back to average normotensive values in those subjects most susceptible to these hypotensive agents. These observations suggest that deviations in calcium metabolism in essential hypertension may be related to the pathophysiology of the hypertensive process. Further, renin system activity and calcium metabolic indexes such as serum Ca++ levels may help target specific subgroups of hypertensive populations most susceptible to various dietary or drug maneuvers, and thus may provide a basis to better understand and treat clinical hypertension.