Effects of raloxifene on the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system and blood pressure in hypertensive and normotensive osteoporotic postmenopausal women.
OBJECTIVE
An increase in blood pressure after menopause has been documented. The renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) plays a central role in the regulation of blood pressure and in the pathophysiology of hypertension. This study investigated the effects of raloxifene, a selective estrogen receptor modulator, on components of the RAAS and blood pressure in hypertensive and normotensive osteoporotic postmenopausal women.


METHODS
A total of 41 hypertensive or normotensive postmenopausal women with osteoporosis or osteopenia were divided into four groups. Eleven hypertensive and eight normotensive women received raloxifene hydrochloride (60 mg/day) p.o. for 6 months, and 12 hypertensive and 10 normotensive women did not receive raloxifene hydrochloride for 6 months. In all of the hypertensive women, blood pressure had been controlled prior to the start of the study using a variety of antihypertensive drugs other than angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, angiotensin (Ang)II type 1 receptor antagonists or diuretics. Plasma renin activity (PRA), serum ACE activity, plasma AngI, AngII and aldosterone concentrations, and blood pressure were measured before and 6 months after the start of the study.


RESULTS
No significant changes in PRA, ACE activity, or the AngI, AngII or aldosterone levels were observed in any of the groups. In all the groups, blood pressure remained unchanged.


CONCLUSIONS
Raloxifene may have no significant effect on the RAAS or blood pressure in hypertensive and normotensive osteoporotic postmenopausal women.
Sumino
Hiroyuki
H
Department of Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, Takasaki University of Health and Welfare, Takasaki, Gunma, Japan. hsumino@takasaki-u.ac.jp
Ichikawa
Shuichi
S
Kasama
Shu
S
Takahashi
Takashi
T
Kumakura
Hisao
H
Takayama
Yoshiaki
Y
Kanda
Tsugiyasu
T
Murakami
Masami
M
Kurabayashi
Masahiko
M
D000368:Aged; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D015663:Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D020849:Raloxifene Hydrochloride / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012084:Renin-Angiotensin System / Q000187:drug effects*; D020845:Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators / Q000494:pharmacology*
D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D020845:Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators; D020849:Raloxifene Hydrochloride