Effects of routine heparin therapy on plasma aldosterone concentration.
Changes in plasma aldosterone, plasma renin activity, plasma cortisol, serum sodium and potassium concentrations were studied in 9 patients with thromboembolic diseases treated with heparin. Heparin was administered at doses of 700-1000 units/h for 7-10 days. Plasma aldosterone decreased from 239 +/- 33 to 114 +/- 25 pmol/l during heparin therapy and returned to basal levels after discontinuation of the therapy. In addition, responses to a low sodium intake (3 g/day) and ACTH were examined in 5 patients during and 2 weeks after heparin therapy. The increase in plasma aldosterone caused by low sodium intake was significantly attenuated during heparin therapy (124 +/- 5% increase from baseline) as compared with that 2 weeks after heparin therapy (148 +/- 7%, p less than 0.05). On the other hand, ACTH stimulated plasma aldosterone similarly during and at 2 weeks after heparin therapy (increase from baseline: 190 +/- 20% vs 193 +/- 9%). These results suggest that heparin decreased plasma aldosterone owing to attenuation of the angiotensin II-induced aldosterone production.
Kageyama
Y
Y
Department of Internal Medicine, Tochigi National Hospital, Utsunomiya, Japan.
Suzuki
H
H
Saruta
T
T
D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology; D000368:Aged; D000450:Aldosterone / Q000097:blood*; D004617:Embolism / Q000188:drug therapy; D005260:Female; D006493:Heparin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000188:drug therapy; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000188:drug therapy; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D012083:Renin / Q000097:blood; D013924:Thrombophlebitis / Q000188:drug therapy
D000450:Aldosterone; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D006493:Heparin; D012083:Renin