title: Cholecalciferol administration blunts the systemic renin-angiotensin system in essential hypertensives with hypovitaminosis D.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Vitamin D plasma levels are negatively associated with blood pressure and cardiovascular mortality, and vitamin D supplementation reduces cardiovascular events. Renin-angiotensin system (RAS) suppression may be one of the mechanisms involved. However, there are no interventional prospective studies demonstrating a reduction in circulating RAS components after vitamin D treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifteen consecutive drug-free patients with essential hypertension and hypovitaminosis D underwent therapy with an oral dose of 25000 I.U. of cholecalciferol once a week for two months, while maintaining a constant-salt diet. In basal conditions and at the end of the study, RAS activity (plasma angiotensinogen, renin, PRA, angiotensin II, aldosterone and urinary angiotensinogen) was investigated, in addition to blood pressure and plasma vitamin D levels (25(OH)D).
  
  
  RESULTS
  After cholecalciferol administration, all patients exhibited normalized plasma 25(OH)D values. At the end of the study, a reduction (p < 0.05) in plasma renin and aldosterone, and a decrement, although not significant, of PRA and angiotensin II, was observed. No difference was found in plasma and urinary angiotensinogen or blood pressure values.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data indicate that in essential hypertensives with hypovitaminosis D, pharmacological correction of vitamin D levels can blunt systemic RAS activity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University of Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Davide
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Carrara
authors.forename: Matteo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bernini
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bacca
authors.forename: Ilaria
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Rugani
authors.forename: Emiliano
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Duranti
authors.forename: Agostino
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Virdis
authors.forename: Lorenzo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ghiadoni
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Taddei
authors.forename: Giampaolo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bernini
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000450:Aldosterone / Q000097:blood; D000804:Angiotensin II / Q000097:blood; D002762:Cholecalciferol / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000075222:Essential Hypertension; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012083:Renin / Q000097:blood; D012084:Renin-Angiotensin System / Q000187:drug effects*; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000097:blood; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D000804:Angiotensin II; D014807:Vitamin D; D002762:Cholecalciferol; D000450:Aldosterone; D012083:Renin
keywords: Hypovitaminosis D; cardiovascular risk; cholecalciferol; hypertension; renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system