Increased Plasma Renin Activity in Juvenile Essential Hypertension

Plasma renin activity (PRA) was determined in 20 normal young adult controls, in 50 young patients with essential hypertension, and in 96 older patients with essential hypertension. The results obtained showed that PRA was significantly increased over the first five years following the onset of hypertension in young hypertensive patients who had a family history of hypertension. In contrast, in the older hypertensive patients PRA was significantly decreased when compared to normal controls and young hypertensive patients. These data may indicate that the renin-angiotensin system is enhanced during the developmental stages of human essential hypertension and suppressed afterwards.