Circulating perivascular dilatory neuropeptides in hypertension

Little is known about perivascular neuropeptides in hypertension in man. In this study we investigated the circulating levels of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP)-, substance P-and vasoactive intestinal peptide-like immunoreactivity in 30 patients with severe hypertension before and after treatment for high blood pressure. Circulating levels of CGRP- and substance P-like immunoreactivity in the hypertensives were significantly different from the corresponding levels in 31 age-and sex-matched normotensive subjects. After normalization of blood pressure the mean levels of CGRP- and substance P-like immunoreactivity did not differ between the two groups. The levels of vasoactive intestinal peptide-like immunoreactivity remained unchanged. These observations suggest that vascular afferent nerves play a part in the maintenance of hypertension.