[Diurnal rhythm of the adrenal cortex function in patients with circulatory disorders]

The blood hydrocortisone and corticosterone content and the aldosterone level in the urine were determined for 24 hours in patients with congenital heart disease before and after operative treatment. In patients with symptoms of cardiac insufficiency both glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid activity of the adrenal cortex was marked by deviations from the diurnal physiological rhythm. This is reflected in the continuous activation of the adrenal cortex during 24 hours; activation of mineralocorticoid function in the evening and during the night is a particularly characteristic phenomenon.