Effect of spironolactone on blood pressure and the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system in oligo-anuric hemodialysis patients.
BACKGROUND
Through its actions on nonepithelial tissues, including brain, blood vessels, and heart, aldosterone may mediate hypertension, cardiac hypertrophy, and fibrosis. Whether aldosterone has a direct pathogenic role in the development of cardiovascular complications in patients with end-stage renal disease is unknown. Oligo-anuric dialysis patients provide a clinical setting to study the effects of the mineralocorticoid receptor blocker spironolactone that are independent of the diuretic properties of the drug. We performed a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, crossover study to assess the effect of spironolactone on blood pressure and the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system in oligo-anuric hemodialysis patients.


METHODS
Eight hemodialysis patients were administered either spironolactone, 50 mg, or placebo orally twice daily for 2 weeks, followed by a 3-week washout period, after which patients crossed over in their treatment arms for 2 more weeks.


RESULTS
Administration of spironolactone for 2 weeks decreased predialysis systolic blood pressure from 142.0 +/- 19.6 to 131.4 +/- 18.2 mm Hg (P < 0.05). Compared with placebo, a 2-week course of spironolactone had no effect on predialysis and postdialysis plasma potassium or aldosterone concentrations or renin activity.


CONCLUSIONS
When administered for 2 weeks, spironolactone, 50 mg twice daily, reduced predialysis systolic blood pressure, but did not produce hyperkalemia in oligo-anuric hemodialysis patients.
Gross
Evan
E
Department of Internal Medicine, Renal Division, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA.
Rothstein
Marcos
M
Dombek
Susan
S
Juknis
Henrikas Irmantas
HI
D000328:Adult; D000450:Aldosterone / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001002:Anuria / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects*; D001835:Body Weight; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000451:Mineralocorticoid Receptor Antagonists / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009846:Oliguria / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D011188:Potassium / Q000097:blood; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D012084:Renin-Angiotensin System / Q000187:drug effects*; D013148:Spironolactone / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015430:Weight Gain
D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D000451:Mineralocorticoid Receptor Antagonists; D013148:Spironolactone; D000450:Aldosterone; D011188:Potassium