LAWRENCE WALLACH, M.D.; ILDIKO NYARAI; KEITH G. DAWSON, M.D., Ph.D., F.A.C.P., F.R.C.P. (C)
The usefulness of the furosemide screening test in ambulant hypertensive patients was prospectively studied. Outpatients were given 60 mg of furosemide by mouth, and 5 hours later plasma renin activity was measured. Subsequent investigation in hospital showed that the patients fell into four groups: extreme hyporeninemia (primary aldosteronoma), suppressed renin (confirmed suppressed-renin hypertension), normal renin (essential hypertension), and elevated renin (renovascular hypertension). The plasma renin activity measured by the test correlated well with standardized in-hospital measurement. This test identifies patients who may have primary aldosteronism, suppressed-renin hypertension, or renovascular disease as the cause of hypertension, thus indicating those requiring further in-hospital investigation. More significantly, it identifies those not requiring further study, thus decreasing hospitalization. Finally, it helps in the selection of specific antihypertensive therapy based on plasma renin activity.
WALLACH L, NYARAI I, DAWSON KG. Stimulated Renin: A Screening Test for Hypertension. Ann Intern Med. ;82:27–34. doi: 10.7326/0003-4819-82-1-27
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© 2019
Published: Ann Intern Med. 1975;82(1):27-34.
DOI: 10.7326/0003-4819-82-1-27
Cardiology, Coronary Risk Factors, Hypertension, Nephrology, Prevention/Screening.