Evidence for a significant contribution from central effects of angiotensin in the development of acute renal hypertension

1. The importance of central vasomotor effects of endogenously generated angiotensin in the acute hypertensive response to renal artery constriction has been investigated in the anaesthetized greyhound. 2. When the central cardiovascular action of angiotensin was abolished by thermocoagulation of the areas postrema, the hypertensive response to renal artery constriction was reduced by half while the increase in plasma renin activity was unchanged. 3. It is concluded that central vasomotor effects of angiotensin play a significant role in renindependent hypertension.