Adrenal function and essential hypertension.

Abstract

A study of the adrenal function in patients with essential hypertension was performed using gas-liquid chromatography to separate and measure the daily urinary excretion of individual 17-ketosteroids, pregnanediol and pregnanetriol in basal conditions and after a dexamethasone suppression test. The purpose of the study was to detect alterations of adrenal function possibly indicative of some role of the adrenal cortex in the pathogenesis of hypertension. The results showed normal urinary levels of 17-ketosteroids, pregnanediol and pregnanetriol in most patients. Higher values were observed in the remaining cases. Dexamethasone suppression tests confirmed that steroid excess in these patients was of adrenal origin.