Mineralocorticoid Receptor Activation Contributes to the Supine Hypertension of Autonomic Failure.

ABSTRACT: Primary autonomic failure is characterized by disabling orthostatic hypotension, but at least half of these patients have paradoxical supine hypertension. Renin-angiotensin mechanisms were not initially thought to contribute to this hypertension because plasma renin activity is often undetectable in autonomic failure. Plasma aldosterone levels are normal, however, and we recently showed that plasma angiotensin II is elevated and acts at AT1 (angiotensin type 1) receptors to contribute to hypertension in these patients. Because aldosterone and angiotensin II can also bind mineralocorticoid receptors to elevate blood pressure, we hypothesized that mineralocorticoid receptor activation plays a role in the hypertension of autonomic failure. To test this hypothesis, we determined the acute effe

SUBMITTER: Arnold AC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4748950 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature