Does Aldosterone-to-Renin Ratio Predict the Antihypertensive Effect of the Aldosterone Antagonist Spironolactone?

69 hypertensive patients (mean age 57 +/- 2 years, 65% male), consisting of 39 subjects with long-standing hypertension (4.0 +/- 0.2 years) uncontrolled on at least three antihypertensive medications and 30 previously untreated patients.

Spironolactone 50 mg/day for 4 weeks (in untreated patients) or 14 weeks (in resistant hypertension patients).

Bendroflumethiazide 2.5 mg/day for 4 weeks (in the 30 previously untreated patients via cross-over design).

Correlation between baseline aldosterone-to-renin ratio (ARR) and the reduction in blood pressure.surrogate