Abstract
The circadian rhythm of blood pressure in patients with essential hypertension (EH) is characterized by a night decline but wether the same pattern occurs in primary aldosteronism (PA) patients is not well known. We evaluated the circadian rhythm of blood pressure (BP) (using Spacelab 9070®) during 24 hours of 94 consecutive patients with suprarenal unilateral adenoma followed in our department and compared it with 50 patients with essential hypertension. The 24-hour monitoring of blood pressure was divided in waking BP (7-22h) and sleeping BP (22-7H). The two populations are matched by age, sex, serum creatinine and serum glucose (Table). In both groups we excluded patients having other organic disorders. We found that although average values of BP in PA are slightly higher comparing with EH patients (15,7 mmHg higher for systolic BP (BPs), 7,0 mmHg for diastolic BP (BPd), respectively), they have an equivalent night dip (10,0% and 10,4% in BPs, 14,3% and 12,3% in BPd, respectively)(Figure). In conclusion, our results have shown a circadian BP of dipping type in PA, with a night BP decline.
![graphic]()
| P.A. | E.H. | |
|---|---|---|
| TOTAL | 94 | 50 |
| WOMEN % | 50 | 50 |
| AGE | 50 ± 7 | 52 ± 9 |
| PLASMA GLUCOSE mg/dl | 89 ± 16 | 90 ± 14 |
| SERUM POTASSIUM meq/l | 3.2 ± 0.3 | 4.4 ± 0.3 |
| SERUM CREATININ mg/dl | 0.8 ± 0.2 | 0.7 ± 0.2 |
| PLASMA ALDOSTERONE pg/ml/24h | 384 ± 109 | 109 ± 117 |
| PLASMA RENIN ACTIVITY ng/ml/24h | 0.3 ± 0.1 | 4.2 ± 3.9 |
| P.A. | E.H. | |
|---|---|---|
| TOTAL | 94 | 50 |
| WOMEN % | 50 | 50 |
| AGE | 50 ± 7 | 52 ± 9 |
| PLASMA GLUCOSE mg/dl | 89 ± 16 | 90 ± 14 |
| SERUM POTASSIUM meq/l | 3.2 ± 0.3 | 4.4 ± 0.3 |
| SERUM CREATININ mg/dl | 0.8 ± 0.2 | 0.7 ± 0.2 |
| PLASMA ALDOSTERONE pg/ml/24h | 384 ± 109 | 109 ± 117 |
| PLASMA RENIN ACTIVITY ng/ml/24h | 0.3 ± 0.1 | 4.2 ± 3.9 |
| P.A. | E.H. | |
|---|---|---|
| TOTAL | 94 | 50 |
| WOMEN % | 50 | 50 |
| AGE | 50 ± 7 | 52 ± 9 |
| PLASMA GLUCOSE mg/dl | 89 ± 16 | 90 ± 14 |
| SERUM POTASSIUM meq/l | 3.2 ± 0.3 | 4.4 ± 0.3 |
| SERUM CREATININ mg/dl | 0.8 ± 0.2 | 0.7 ± 0.2 |
| PLASMA ALDOSTERONE pg/ml/24h | 384 ± 109 | 109 ± 117 |
| PLASMA RENIN ACTIVITY ng/ml/24h | 0.3 ± 0.1 | 4.2 ± 3.9 |
| P.A. | E.H. | |
|---|---|---|
| TOTAL | 94 | 50 |
| WOMEN % | 50 | 50 |
| AGE | 50 ± 7 | 52 ± 9 |
| PLASMA GLUCOSE mg/dl | 89 ± 16 | 90 ± 14 |
| SERUM POTASSIUM meq/l | 3.2 ± 0.3 | 4.4 ± 0.3 |
| SERUM CREATININ mg/dl | 0.8 ± 0.2 | 0.7 ± 0.2 |
| PLASMA ALDOSTERONE pg/ml/24h | 384 ± 109 | 109 ± 117 |
| PLASMA RENIN ACTIVITY ng/ml/24h | 0.3 ± 0.1 | 4.2 ± 3.9 |
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© American Journal of Hypertension, Ltd. 2001
