Effect of one year of thiazide therapy on plasma volume, renin, aldosterone, lipids and urinary metanephrines in systolic hypertension of elderly patients

Increased cardiac and vascular morbidity and mortality are known to accompany systemic systolic hypertension of the elderly. We have reported on the hemodynamic benefit in this disorder after 1 month of therapy with a thiazide diuretic, and on the maintenance of improvement for 1 year.1 In another group of patients with systolic hypertension we have reported on the changes in plasma volume, renin activity, and aldosterone, lipid and urinary metanephrine levels at 1 month of such therapy.2 This study extends these observations to 1 year of thiazide therapy and explores the relation between the hemodynamic and biochemical variables during this period.