Clinical Value of Measuring the Renin/Aldosterone Levels: Optimising the Management of Uncontrolled/Resistant Hypertension

INTRODUCTION

Resistant hypertension (HT) is a common clinical entity with debilitating cardiovascular consequences. The highly heterogeneous nature of resistant HT requires a meticulous workup to exclude 'pseudo-resistance' and secondary forms of arterial HT. Resistant HT has recently gained wide scientific interest due to the introduction of interventional methods (renal sympathetic denervation and carotid baroreceptor stimulation) for blood pressure (BP) reduction in this patient population. Despite however the recent advances in understanding the pathophysiology and the clinical characteristics of the disease, the appropriate management of resistant HT remains elusive. The marked heterogeneity of BP response to interventional therapy underlines the need for careful patient selection and the identification of ideal candidates for interventional therapy.

CONCLUSION

The renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system seems to play a cardinal role in the pathophysiology of resistant HT and requires appropriate management. Furthermore, primary aldosteronism is considered the most common form of secondary HT, with increased prevalence in patients with resistant HT. This review aims to provide a simplified work-up for patients with resistant HT, summarize the rationale for the determination of renin and aldosterone levels, and critically discuss available evidence on when and how to measure renin/aldosterone in resistant HT.

Do we need biomarkers for diabetics progressing to heart failure?

Cardiovascular changes produce unfavorable outcomes including arterial hypertension and diabetes, which are related to the increased risk of heart failure (HF). The latter is highly prevalent in the setting of glucose metabolism dysregulation and high hemodynamic load, and identifying predictors of the incidence of HF with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) requires a research and is a clinical need. Toward this end, the variability in glucose regulation represents a novel dynamic way to comprehend and study the impact of glycemia. The results of the published study highlight the independent association of glycated hemoglobin A1c variability with the development of HFpEF in hypertensive diabetic patients. Based on the above, the effect of diverse antidiabetic therapies on glycemic control variability and overall management of these patients to reduce the risk of HFpEF remain essential for the modern cardiologist.

Sodium-glucose Cotransporter 2 Inhibitors: Impact on Body Weight and Blood Pressure Compared with other Antidiabetic Drugs

BACKGROUND

Sodium-glucose co-transporters 2 inhibitors have emerged as a novel antidiabetic class of drugs offering significant ameliorating effects on a variety of cardiovascular risk factors, secondary to their mechanism of action, including blood pressure and body weight.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this article is to discuss available data on the impact of SGLT-2 inhibitors on blood pressure and body weight compared with other available anti-diabetic drugs and to present potential mechanisms mediating these effects.

METHODS

A comprehensive review of the literature was performed to identify studies examining the effects of SGLT-2 inhibitors on blood pressure and body weight.

RESULTS

SGLT-2 inhibition has been related with a mild decrease in blood pressure of approximately 3-5mmHg in systolic and 1-2mmHg in diastolic blood pressure. These data have been confirmed with 24h ambulatory measurements, as well. Furthermore, given the loss of calories in the urine, a mild decrease in body weight is anticipated, as well. Studies with this class of drugs noted a reduction in body weight of 2 to 3 kg, similar to the loss noted with the use of glucagon-like peptide 1 analogues, the only class of drugs that has offered significant reductions in body weight so far. Consclusion: The beneficial effects of the SGLT-2 inhibition on an abundance of cardiovascular risk factors, including blood pressure and body weight, have created great expectations for potential benefits from the cardiovascular events standpoint, a theory that was confirmed in the two available cardiovascular studies of this promising class of drugs.

Heart Rate and Blood Pressure: "Connecting the Dots" in Epidemiology and Pathophysiology

There is robust evidence from epidemiological and clinical studies showing that elevated heart rate (HR) constitutes a powerful predictor of morbidity and mortality in patients with hypertension, underlining the significance of HR measurement in them. Autonomous nervous system dysfunction and atherosclerosis are important features in the pathogenesis of the untoward events. However, the relationship between HR and blood pressure (BP) is complex and differs depending on the type of BP measurement which is considered. This differentiation implicates complex physiological mechanisms and is of clinical importance regarding the divergent effect of the different types of antihypertensive agents on these parameters. The aim of this review is to summarize the current evidence on the relationship between HR and BP based on epidemiological, clinical, and experimental studies.