RESUMEN
The levels of plasma arginine-vasopressin (AVP) in 80 patients with essential hypertension were measured, and its impact on the disease and its clinical significance were studied. The results showed that: (1) The levels of plasma AVP in patients with essential hypertension were significantly higher than that in normotensive subjects (P < 0.001). It dropped to normal level after antihypertensive drugs. (2) The concentrations of plasma AVP in both hypertensive subjects and normotensive subjects were not correlated with age and sex (P < 0.05). (3) The concentration of plasma AVP in patients with essential hypertension was the highest in stage III, the lowest in stage I, and middle in stage II. (4) The levels of plasma AVP in patients with malignant hypertension were significantly higher than that in patients with benign hypertension (P < 0.05). A positive correlation was found between the levels of plasma AVP and blood pressure (r = 0.3398, P < 0.01). (5) The concentrations of plasma AVP in hypertensive subjects with ventricular hypertrophy were higher than that in hypertensive subjects with out ventricular hypertrophy (P < 0.05). (6) The concentrations of plasma AVP in hypertensive subjects with heart failure were significantly higher than that in hypertensive subjects with out heart failure (P < 0.001). The results suggest that AVP has a role in the pathogenesis of hypertension, hypertension complicated with ventricular hypertrophy and hypertension complicated with heart failure. The levels of plasma AVP may be viewed as an index of the patient's condition in hypertensive subjects.