Plasma concentrations of thromboxane B2 in patients with hypertension or cerebrovascular disease

Abstract

The peripheral venous plasma levels of thromboxane B₂ (TxB₂) were determined by radioimmunoassay in 22 control subjects, 12 patients with essential hypertension, 15 patients with cerebrovascular disease (CVD) not taking aspirin and 14 patients with CVD taking aspirin. There was no significant difference in TxB₂ levels among the control subjects, hypertensive patients and CVD patients not taking aspirin. In CVD patients taking aspirin, the plasma TxB₂ levels were significantly lower than those in the other groups. The internal jugular venous concentrations of TxB₂ were measured in 10 CVD patients not taking aspirin. Four of 10 studied patients exhibited significant increases only in the internal jugular venous TxB₂ levels, while peripheral venous and/or femoral arterial TxB₂ levels were not significantly different from peripheral venous TxB₂ levels of control subjects.