Neurogenic factors and hypertension in renal disease

Hypertension in chronic renal failure (CRF) is very common and contributes to morbidity and mortality and to the progression of renal disease. The pat hogenesis of hypertension in CRF has been attributed mostly to sodium reten tion and to activation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system. More re cently an abundance of evidence has accumulated to support a role for incre ased sympathetic nervous system (SNS) activity in the genesis of hypertensi on associated with CRF. Evidence from our laboratory has also demonstrated that the rise in central SNS activity is mitigated by increased local expre ssion of nitric oxide synthase (NOS)-mRNA and nitric oxide (NO) production, and that the upregulation of NO production in the brain is mediated by IL- 1 beta.