[Paradoxical correlation between plasma renin activity and hypotensive effect of beta-adrenergic blocking (author's...

A group of 39 patients has been divided in three categories according to their plasmatic renine activity and the correlation of the hipotensive answer to the Timolol Maleate (betadrenergic blocking). The control is more favourable in the normorreninemic than in the hiporreninemic patients and, paradoxically, even more than in the hyperreninemic. This unexpected answer is probably due to the lowest sodium intake of this last group. Hyperreninemia is more than a factor determining their basal hypertension: it is a regulation factor by hiposodic diet and probably, drug resistant. Nor quantitative neither qualitative correlation among the basal plasmatic renine activity and the hipotensive activity has been observed.