Plasma renin activity and cardiovascular changes in patients with chronic bladder distension

Arterial plasma renin activity, arterial blood pressure, heart rate and respiratory frequency were measured in 10 patients with chronically distended bladder due to benign prostatic hyperplasia before and after bladder drainage. After suprapubical bladder puncture there was a decrease in all the values. Similar changes were also found in 3 patients with artificially induced acute bladder distension, who did not suffer from infravesical obstruction. A significant correlation was found between the changes of the arterial pressure and arterial plasma renin activity. It is therefore suggested that the renin-angiotensin system might be involved in patients with bladder distension.