ACTIVITY OF NEUROHUMORAL REGULATIONS SYST EMS, ELECTROLYTE BALANCE AND CLINICAL EFFICACY OF RENITEK IN HYPERTENSIVE PATIENTS

Hypotensive effect of renitek (enalapril maleate) was assessed by acti vity of some neuroregulation systems and electrolyte balance in 16 pat ients with essential hypertension (EH). Maximal time of treatment for the assessment was 14 days. Renitek in a single dose 20-40 mg/day prod uced a response in 80% of EH stage II patients with low activity of pl asma renin (PR). A hypotensive effect of the drug proved more essentia l in patients with higher baseline urinary excretion of aldosterone, a drenaline, noradrenaline and sodium. This effect is associated with st imulation of PR activity, urinary excretion of sodium, reduction in pl asma and 24-h urine of aldosterone, adrenaline and noradrenaline conce ntrations. Renitek nonresponders exhibited high aldosterone concentrat ion in plasma and its normal excretion with urine, diminished sodium e xcretion with urine. After 2 weeks of treatment blood and urine hormon es were close to the initial levels while sodium excretion with urine went down.