The role of vasopressin in experimental and clinical hypertension

The vasoconstrictor and vasopressor actions of vasopressin have been revealed in recent research through the use of highly specific and sensitive radioimmunoassays, employment of peptide antagonists, and comparison with an animal model which has hereditary absence of this hormone, the Brattleboro rat. Factors now known to modify the pressor effect of vasopressin are the baroreflexes, local vascular prostaglandin production, and a specific interaction with angiotensin II. In experimental models the volume retaining, but not the vasoconstrictor effect of vasopressin is necessary for mineralocorticoid-salt hypertension. Vasopressin contributes directly to the increase in arterial pressure of glycerol induced acute renal failure. In nephrectomized rats, plasma vasopressin is elevated and contributes directly to maintenance of pressure. Vasopressin antagonism may reduce arterial pressure in Goldblatt 1 and 2 kidney hypertension and in one genetic model, spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR), but the peptide is not necessary for hypertension in these models. Plasma vasopressin is reduced in primary aldosteronism, but may be elevated in malignant hypertension. In essential hypertension, there is considerable disagreement among various studies in which plasma vasopressin, urine vasopressin excretion, platelet associated vasopressin, or vasopressin-neurophysin were measured as to whether there is evidence for increased secretion of vasopressin. Only preliminary studies of vasopressin antagonism in clinical hypertension have been reported. At present, there is no conclusive evidence that elevated vasopressin secretion occurs or is necessary for any form of clinical hypertension.