[Various humoral pressor and depressor systems in hypertension]

Study of the hormone content and enzyme activity in patients with hypertensive disease at rest and in various types of stimulation revealed predominance of pressor humoral systems over depressor ones. With the development of the disease, the reaction of these humoral systems to stimulation diminishes. Decrease of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system compensatory reaction and the prostaglandin F level in patients with stable, high arterial pressur in response to furosemide administration may be among the causes of the hypotensive and natriuretic effect of this preparation. Activization of the humoral depressor systems in the initial stage of the disease is conducive to the preservation of the water-electrolyte hemostasis in the organism and maintains the labile level of arterial pressure despite the increased activity of the natrium-retaining hormones. Exhaustion of the humoral depressor systems may be one of the causes of arterial pressure stabilization.