Low-renin hypertension: nephrosclerosis?

A substantial group of patients with essential hypertension have abnormally low renin levels which respond poorly to stimulation. Important differences in response to therapy and in prognosis have been described between these and other hypertensive patients. It is suggested that the vascular changes of nephrosclerosis, which may be seen in both hypertensive and normal subjects, result in a reduction of afferent arteriolar distensibility, with impairment of basal renin secretion and responsiveness. This hypothesis accords with both of the known clinical characteristics of low-renin hypertension and with the known effect of arterial changes upon the activity of other baroreceptors.