Changes of vasopressin in hypertension: Cause or effect?

Plasma concentrations of arginine-vasopressin (antidiuretic hormone) have been measured in 40 patients with benign essential hypertension and 12 patients with malignant-phase hypertension. Values tended to be low in the benign phase and high in the malignant phase. 5 normal subjects were infused with synthetic arginine-vasopressin, producing plasma concentrations up to five times the highest value recorded in malignant-phase hypertension, without any effect on blood-pressure. There is no evidence that vasopressin has a direct role in the pathogenesis of benign essential hypertension or its transition to the malignant phase. On the contrary, abnormal vasopressin concentrations may be caused by hypertension.