Some metabolic and humoral deviations found in normotensive offspring from hypertensive families can be modified in the course of years either as a result of ageing or of the clinical manifestation of essential hypertension (EH). The authors compared therefore some metabolic indicators (blood sugar level, IRI, C-peptide and plasma lipids) and humoral factors (plasma catecholamines, renin activity, atrial natriuretic factor and endothelin) in four groups of subjects: 27 young normotensive sons from normotensive families (SNF) and 30 from hypertensive families (SHF) with the findings of normotonics (NT) (n = 21) and patients with EH (n = 21) by 15 years older. Despite a tendency towards higher blood sugar levels in SHF and EH, the basal as well as oGTT stimulated blood sugar values were within the normal range. They were, however, associated with higher IRI and C-peptide concentrations in SHF with a further increase in NT and a much higher increase in EH. This indicates that normal blood sugar homeostasis in these groups is achieved only by an increased insulin secretion. The reduction of the blood sugar/IRI ratio in older NT accentuated in EH, suggests an increasing insulin resistance. In the lipid spectrum the authors found an increase of total cholesterol with advancing age, this being most marked in EH where also a decline of HDL cholesterol was recorded. As to humoral factors, higher catecholamine concentrations were found in SHF. Their increase with advancing age was more marked in EH. The plasma renin activity declined with age in NT as well as in EH.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Keywords: Adult; Blood Glucose /analysis/; Humans; Hypertension /genetics/; Insulin Resistance; Lipids /blood/; Male; Middle Aged