[Effect of pharmacological stimulation and blockade of alpha-adrenergic receptors on adrenocorticotropic hormone and cortisol in the blood of people of various age]. / Vplyv farmakolohichnoi stymyliatsii ta blokady alpha-adrenoretseptoriv na contsentratsiiu AKTH i kortyzolu v krovi liudei riznogo viku.

Age-associated peculiarities of the pituitary-adrenal system reactions to alpha 1-adrenergic preparations were studied in 60 normal adult, elderly and old subjects. Concentrations of ACTH and cortisol in blood were determined by the radioimmune method before and 2 hours after prazosin was given or 20 and 60 min. after intake of phenylephrine hydrochloride. The activation of alpha 1-adrenergic receptors (phenylephrine) caused an increase in the blood concentrations of ACTH and cortisol, whereas the blockade of alpha 1-adrenergic receptors (prazosin) induced an essential decrease in the concentrations of these hormones in blood of the persons investigated at various age. In persons of higher-age groups phenylephrine caused a higher activation of the pituitary-adrenal system.

[The hormonal functions regulating carbohydrate metabolism in participants in the cleanup of the sequelae of the accident at the Chernobyl Atomic Electric Power Station with a neurocirculatory dystonia syndrome]. / Gormonal'nye funktsii, reguliruiushchie uglevodnyi obmen, u uchastikov likvidatsii posledstvii avarii na Chernobyl'skoi AES s sindromom neirotsirkuliatornoi distonii.

Radioimmunoassay revealed in participants of Chernobyl disaster sequelae preclinical changes of some hormonal functions: moderate increase of the basal concentration of blood insulin, somatotropin, C-peptide against the background of persistent hypercortisolemia. Increase of the level of "hyperglycemic" hormones (cortisol, somatotropin, C-peptide) is explained by adaptative and compensatory reactions of the body in response to lesioning effects of ionizing radiation and other negative factors of the Chernobyl accident. Relative hyperinsulinemia is, apparently, compensating the total hyperglycemic effect of these hormones leading to stabilization of the blood sugar level.

[Analysis of the effect of the alpha 1-adrenostimulator mezaton on plasma renin activity in healthy people of varying age]. / Analiz vliianiia al'fa1-adrenostimuliatora mezatona na aktivnost' renina plazmy u zdorovykh liudei raznogo vozrasta.

30 healthy people aged 20-34, 60-74 and 75-89 (10 subjects in each group) were examined to study the changes in plasma renin activity (PRA), the sympathetic nervous system tone, indices of central and renal haemodynamics after intramuscular injections of alpha 1-adrenostimulator mezaton (phenylephrine) in dose of 0.15 mg/kg of body mass. The pharmacological activity of postsynaptic alpha 1-adrenoreceptors was found to induce more considerable and prolonged increase of PRA in older persons. The increase of PRA was reliably correlated with a decrease of renal blood flow indices and was combined with an increase of sympathetic tone. As to the authors' opinion a more pronounced constrictor response of afferent renal arterioles to alpha 1-adrenoreceptors activation of vessels is the cause of more considerable changes of PRA in older age groups.

[The efficacy of the captopril treatment of elderly hypertension patients]. / Effektivnost' lecheniia kaptoprilom bol'nykh gipertonicheskoi bolezn'iu pozhilogo vozrasta.

It was established that monotherapy with captopril was effective in 72% of patients with hypertensive disease in the elderly. Reduction of the arterial pressure is accompanied by an improvement of the indices of hemodynamics and myocardial contractility as well as relaxation of the left ventricle. Captopril proved more effective in patients with a high concentration of blood angiotensin. Acute load by a single intake of 25 mg of captopril may with high probability predict the efficacy of treatment courses, namely, in patients with a good clinical efficacy reduction of the preparation. Captopril is recommended for the treatment of hypertensive disease in the elderly.

[Changes in the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system in elderly patients with chronic ischemic heart disease. 3. The renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system in elderly patients with ischemic heart disease without cardiovascular failure]. / Veränderungen des Renin-Angiotensin-Aldesteron-Systems (RAAS) bei älteren Patienten mit chronischer ischämischer Herzkrankheit (IHK). 3. Mitteilung. Das Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosteron-System bei ältern IHK-Patienten ohne Herz-Kreislauf-Insuffizienz.

As shown by the results of the investigation, there is a moderate rise in renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system activity in the elderly patients suffering from chronic IHK under normal conditions of life: basal level, changes in plasma renin activity and circulating aldosterone concentration during a 24-hour period and in response to the orthostasis. Considerable disturbances of the functional state of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system are seen with a physical load of the submaximal intensity. The data obtained indicate pathogenetic significance of the above changes which should be taken into consideration while prescribing therapy of such patients.

[Changes in the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system in elderly patients with chronic ischemic heart disease. 4. The renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system in elderly patients with ischemic heart disease and cardiovascular insufficiency]. / Veränderungen des Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosteron-Systems (RAAS) bei älteren Patienten mit chronischer ischämischer Herzkrankheit (IHK). 4. Mitteilung. Das Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosteron-System bei älteren IHK-Kranken mit Herz-Kreislauf-Insuffizienz.

The elderly chronic ischemic heart disease (IHK) patients with cardiac failure show a higher activation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system compared to the younger patients. It was noted functional activity of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system increases with a progress of the disease (decompensation). Changes occur not only in the basal level of plasma reninactivity and circulating aldosterone concentration, but also the 24 hour rhythm to the side of an increased hormonal level during the evening hours, evidencing thus for disadaption of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system and its decreased reliability under conditions of habitual life activity. Administration of the converting enzyme inhibitor, Captopril, has confirmed a pathogenetic role of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system in the development of cardiac failure syndrome in the chronic IHK patients as well as verified a new approach in the treatment of this pathology.

[Renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system in hypertension patients who have had a cerebral stroke]. / Sostoianie renin-angiotenzin-al'dosteronovoi sistemy u bol'nykh gipertonicheskoi bolezn'iu, perenesshikh mozgovoi insul't.

The study of the renin activity and aldosterone concentrations in the blood plasma has revealed activation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) in patients with stage III essential hypertension and a history of 1-3-year-old cerebral stroke. Middle-aged patients demonstrated high activity of renin and high levels of aldosterone whereas elderly patients presented a moderate rise in renin activity and elevated aldosterone levels. The data obtained indicate a decrease in the endocrine function of the kidneys in elderly hypertensive patients with a history of cerebral stroke. The authors revealed a considerable hypersecretion of aldosterone in the presence of a moderate elevation of plasma renin activity in patients with the cerebral form of stage II essential hypertension at the height of the crisis. It is suggested that aldosterone hypersecretion in elderly patients with stage III essential hypertension and residual manifestations of cerebral circulation impairment is pathogenetically important.