title: Potassium channel stimulation in normal subjects and in patients with essential hypertension: an acute study with cromakalim (BRL 34915).
abstract: We studied the acute effects of the potassium channel opener cromakalim on blood pressure, the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system and renal function in eight patients with essential hypertension and five normal subjects. In the hypertensive patients, blood pressure decreased significantly from 2 to 6 h after treatment with cromakalim 1.5 mg compared with placebo, but was unchanged in the normotensives. In both groups, the heart rate and plasma renin activity increased after the administration of cromakalim compared with placebo; however, plasma aldosterone was unchanged. There was no significant change in urinary electrolyte excretion in either group; urine flow decreased after the administration of cromakalim compared with placebo in normal subjects, but not in patients with essential hypertension. Cromakalim lowers blood pressure acutely in patients with essential hypertension but not in normotensive subjects. This may be due to a greater reflex response in the normal subjects or to specific effects of cromakalim on mechanisms causing the high blood pressure.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Charing Cross and Westminster Medical School, London, UK.
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Singer
authors.forename: N D
authors.initials: ND
authors.lastname: Markandu
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Sugden
authors.forename: G A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: MacGregor
mesh_terms: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001578:Benzopyrans / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D019806:Cromakalim; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D007668:Kidney / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015221:Potassium Channels / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D011758:Pyrroles / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012084:Renin-Angiotensin System / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D013268:Stimulation, Chemical; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D001578:Benzopyrans; D015221:Potassium Channels; D011758:Pyrroles; D019806:Cromakalim