EFFECT OF DESOXYCORTICOSTERONE ACETATE ON THE BLOOD PRESSURE OF MAN

In 1939 attention was called to 2 patients whose arterial blood pressure exceeded normal limits in the course of treatment with desoxycorticosterone esters for Addison's disease.1Since that time these observations have been confirmed and extended.2Studies in animals have also revealed an elevation of blood pressure following the administration of desoxycorticosterone esters.3Recently Selye and his co-workers have reported the appearance of vascular lesions in chicks, rats, dogs and other animals following the sustained use of this drug.4 In these reports concerning the effect of desoxycorticosterone, it has not been apparent whether the observed increase in blood pressure is due to salt and water retention or to some other unexplained action of the hormone. In order to clarify this problem, it seemed desirable to study the effects of desoxycorticosterone acetate5and of sodium chloride on the blood pressure, blood volume and sodium concentration of