New insight into the role of aldosterone/renin ratio in elevated peripheral and central blood pressure.

L s he role of plasma aldosterone concentration (PAC) in the athogenesis of hypertension took an interesting turn a few ears ago when several clinical trials claimed a higher revalence of primary hyperaldosteronism in patients hought to have primary or essential hypertension, particuarly those with resistant hypertension (1). A few clinical rials demonstrated that, on the basis of these data, the ddition of an aldosterone antagonist to the milieu of ntihypertensive medications led to significant reduction n blood pressure (BP) in patients with resistant hyperension (2). The debate has continued among experts in ypertension on the significance of PAC and the aldoterone/renin ratio (ARR) in the control and manageent of hypertension (3).