Plasma renin activity, angiotensin II, and aldosterone during intense heat stress

Plasma renin activity (PRA), angiotensin II, and aldosterone levels, arterial blood pressure, and heart rate of six male students were investigated during and after heat stress in a sauna bath. Increased PRA, angiotensin II, and aldosterone levels were found both during and after sauna. The greatest mean increases in PRA (94.9 +/- 10.4% SE, P less than 0.005) and angiotensin II (196 +/- 54.7% SE, P less than 0.02) were observed at the end of the heat stress (at 20 min), and that in plasma aldosterone (505 +/- 209% SE, P less than 0.02) 30 min after the sauna. The heart rate roughly doubled during the heat stress and there was a transient increase followed by a decrease in systolic blood pressure and a decrease in diastolic blood pressure. This study demonstrates that intense heat stress can cause remarkable changes in the three main components of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system.