The relationship between potassium balance and circulating catecholamines in essential hypertension
Cerasola, G.; Morici, M.L.; Cottone, S.; Grasso, L.; D'Ignoto, G.
Bollettino della Societa Italiana di Biologia Sperimentale 60(6): 1111-1117
1984
ISSN/ISBN: 0037-8771 PMID: 6477727 Document Number: 221768
Sympathetic nervous system activity and electrolyte balance were estimated in 29 patients, 16 to 59 years old with essential hypertension and 20 healthy controls after 2 weeks on a diet to control sodium balance without altering potassium balance. Mean resting norepinephrine in blood was normal (<268 pg/ml) in 14 and above normal in 15 of the patients. Mean increase during exercise was significantly greater in hypertensive patients with increased basal values than in those with normal values or controls. There was no significant difference in Na+ or K+ excretion between groups. In patients with increased norepinephrine values there was a correlation between K excretion and norepinephrine in blood.