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Renin Activity In Black Hypertensive Patients in Rhodesia
Abstract
Effective plasma renin activity was measured in 103 Black hypertensive patients admitted to Harare Hospital. Renin activity was found to be increased in all groups of hypertensive patients, and to be particularly high in patients with hypertensive or obstructive renal disease, or with cirrhosis. In the 70 patients. with primary hypertension, 51% had a high renin activity which was found to be associated with renal failure, retinopathy, hyponatraemia and hypochloridaemia, but not with cardiac failure or with cerebrovascular disease. Despite the prevalence of 'high renin' hypertension in this population, ischaemic heart disease very rarely occurs.