Abstract
The patients with various hypertension, secondary aldosteronism, Conn's syndrome, endocrinological diseases of adrenal-pituitary system and pregnancy were employed in the Angiotensin Short Infusion Test which is simpler and more comfotable for the patients than the original method of Kaplan and Silah. Vascular reactivity to synthetic angiotensin II, plasma renin activity and aldosterone excretion rate were examined in this experiment. Vascalar reactivity to synthetic angiotensin II was normal (4-8 ng/kg/m.) or increased in essential hypertension (KW I-II), and on the other hand, the patients with malignant hypertension showed reversely low vascular reactivity to synthetic angiotensin II. The patients with renovascular hypertension also showed low vascular reactivity except for one case, and most of the patients with Conn's syndrome demonstrated high vascular responsiveness. Vascular reactivity in endocrinlogical diseases of adrenal-pituitary system and pregnancy, was not consistent. The moderate positive correlation between vascular responsiveness, plasma renin activity and aldosterone excretion rate was demonstrated in all cases except primary aldosteronism. Vascular reactivity to angiotensin II did not show the consistent changes in cases on low sodium diet (20-40 mEq/day). Angiotensin Short Infusion Test is simpler and more comfortable for the patients than that originated by Kaplan and Silah and this method can eliminate the unfavorable conditions caused by various stresses and also is useful to some extent for the diagnosis of Conn's syndrome and renovascular hypertension.