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The response of plasma aldosterone (PA) and plasma renin activity (PRA) to ACTH stimulation (0.25 mg Tetracosactide infusion/10 h) and to insulin-induced hypoglycemia (0.1 U/kg b.w.) has been studied in 34 essential hypertensive (EH) patients. Corticotrophin stimulation increases significantly PA, the percent increase being higher in normal PRA EH patients than in controls but comparable to controls in low PRA EH patients. PRA shows a slight and transient elevation. A significant increase in PA is observed also during the insulin test, but the percent increase is lower than that under ACTH stimulation. The possibility that aldosterone is involved, under severe and frequent stress, in the genesis of essential hypertension is discussed.

Diurnal 18-hydroxy-11-deoxycorticosterone (18-OH-DOC) pattern was studied with RIA technique in 33 hypertensive patients in supine position and on normal sodium diet. The compound was evaluated every 2 h from 0800-2000 h. Simultaneously, plasma aldosterone and cortisol were measured. Abnormal 18-OH-DOC behavior was observed in only 2 out of 4 patients with Cushing's disease, while sporadic and slight elevations, synchronous with F, were seen in 5 out of 24 stable essential hypertensive patients [1 with normal plasma renin activity (PRA), 1 with low PRA, and 3 with high PRA]. 18-OH-DOC was normal in 2 cases of hypertension due to renal artery stenosis, in 1 patient with nephrosclerosis, and in 1 patient with horseshoe kidney. From these results, 18-OH-DOC does not seem to play an important pathogenetic role in stable essential hypertension, considering also the low mineralocorticoid activity of the compound.