Aldosterone response to modulation of potassium in patients on dialysis or with essential hypertension.

This investigation demonstrates in patients with essential hypertension an abnormal response of the adrenal glands to modulation of potassium metabolism by infusion of insulin-glucose. Similar results have been reported in anephric patients, while the inverse response of non-nephrectomised patients on dialysis corresponded to that of normal subjects. It is suggested that the abnormal response of patients with essential hypertension may be of importance to the understanding of the pathogenesis of this important disease.