Reversible hypertension in primary hyperparathyroidism--pre- and posteroperative blood pressure in 75 cases

In 75 operatively proved cases of primary hyperparathyroidism (PH) mean systolic and diastolic blood pressure (BP) values were significantly higher pre- than postoperatively. There were 27 patients (36%) who showed hypertension before operation (systolic BP greater than or equal to 150 mm Hg, mean 169 +/- 20 mm Hg). In 20 of these the hypertension was reversible after successful treatment of PH, in seven cases elevated values persisted. The mean age of patients with persisting hypertension was significantly higher than the group with normalization of BP after operation (P less than 0.01). As far as clinical presentation of PH was concerned it were those cases with hypercalcaemic syndrome and with accidentally discovered hypercalcaemia who most often showed hypertension. In cases with recurrent urolithiasis and with osteitis fibrosa as leading symptoms there was no significant increase of hypertension as compared to the whole group. Because of the relatively high incidence of hypertension in PH this possibility should be taken into consideration in each diagnostic clarification of hypertensive patients.