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Decreased pituitary response to insulin-induced hypoglycaemia in young lean male patients with essential hypertension

Journal of Human Hypertension volume 20, pages 510–516 (2006)Cite this article

Abstract

Essential hypertension is associated with changes in central catecholaminergic pathways which might also be reflected in the pituitary response to stress stimuli. The aim of this study was to determine whether the response of pituitary hormones, cortisol, plasma renin activity, aldosterone and catecholamines to insulin-induced hypoglycaemia is changed in hypertension. We studied 22 young lean male patients with newly diagnosed untreated essential hypertension and 19 healthy normotensive, age- and body mass index (BMI)-matched controls. All subjects underwent an insulin tolerance test (0.1 IU insulin/kg body weight intravenously) with blood sampling before and 15, 30, 45, 60 and 90 min after insulin administration. Increased baseline levels of norepinephrine (P<0.05), increased response of norepinephrine (P<0.001) and decreased response of growth hormone (P<0.001), prolactin (P<0.001), adrenocorticotropic hormone (P<0.05) and cortisol (P<0.001) were found in hypertensive patients when compared to normotensive controls. Increased norepinephrine levels and a decreased pituitary response to metabolic stress stimuli may represent another manifestation of chronically increased sympathetic tone in early hypertension.

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Acknowledgements

This study was supported by the grants of Slovak State Program SP 51/02280800/0280/802 and of Slovak Scientific Grants Agency VEGA 2/3150/24.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Experimental Endocrinology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia

    Z Radikova, A Penesova, M Huckova, R Kvetnansky, M Vigas & J Koska

  2. Department of Cardiology, Out-patient Clinic Karlova Ves, Bratislava, Slovakia

    E Cizmarova

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  1. Z Radikova
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Correspondence to Z Radikova.

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Radikova, Z., Penesova, A., Cizmarova, E. et al. Decreased pituitary response to insulin-induced hypoglycaemia in young lean male patients with essential hypertension. J Hum Hypertens 20, 510–516 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.jhh.1002026

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