The effect of age on active and cryoactivatable inactive plasma renin in normal subjects and patients with essential hypertension

The effect of age on active and cryoactivatable inactive plasma renin levels was examined in 58 normal subjects and 58 patients with essential hypertension during recumbency and after stimulation with furosemide and ambulation. Active renin levels declined with age in both supine subjects and patients. Inactive renin levels did not change with age in normal subjects, while in hypertensive patients they decreased with age. Following stimulation with furosemide and ambulation, the levels of active renin increased but its responsiveness to the stimulus decreased with age in both groups. In contrast, inactive renin was not significantly influenced by furosemide administration and ambulation. These data show that an acute stimulation with furosemide and ambulation affects mainly the active form of plasma renin, and that the effect of age on inactive plasma renin in normal subjects may be different from that in patients with essential hypertension.