Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, April 18, 1991 TAG: 9104180599
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A-1 EDITION: EVENING
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: BOSTON LENGTH: Medium
The study published in today's issue of the New England Journal of Medicine found that patients with high levels of renin - a hormone produced by the kidneys - are five times more likely than those with low levels to suffer heart attacks.
If confirmed by other studies, the discovery could allow doctors to tailor treatment for people with moderately high blood pressure and concentrate most on those whose renin levels put them at high risk of a heart attack.
However, some specialists said they were unsure what, if any, impact it will have on day-to-day care of people with high blood pressure.
An estimated 62 million Americans have elevated blood pressure. While the disease leads to strokes, heart failure and kidney disease, its biggest hazard is its contribution to heart attacks.
High blood pressure causes heart attacks in some patients but not in others.
Because there is no way to determine who will be harmed by mildly elevated blood pressure, doctors routinely give pressure-lowering drugs to all patients who cannot bring down their pressure.
The study was based on an eight-year follow-up of 1,717 men and women whose blood pressures averaged about 150 over 100. All were treated with pressure-lowering drugs. Normal blood pressure is generally around 120 over 80.
During the study, 15 heart attacks occurred for every 1,000 years of life among those with high renin levels, compared with six among those with normal levels and three among people with low levels.
Among 241 people with low renin levels who had no other risk factors, such as smoking or high cholesterol, there were no attacks.
A renin test typically costs between $40 and $80.
by CNB