Year: 1950
Type: article
Study design: Case Report
Abstract: Previous observations have indicated that the administration of cortisone may be associated with a decline in blood pressure in patients with uncom-plicated hypertensive vascular disease (1). As the changes in arterial tension were comparatively small in these short-term studies, and usually took place immediately after the steroid had been dis-continued, it seemed desirable to record the effects of increased dosage given for a longer period of time. CASE REPORT M. J., a 37-year-old Negro housewife, was admitted to the metabolism ward of the Presbyterian Hospital because of occasional headaches of moderate intensity, palpita-tions and hypertension known for five years. There was neither past nor present evidence of cardiac pain, con-gestive failure, renal, cerebral or obvious endocrine dis-ease. Physical examination was not remarkable except for a blood pressure of 210/128 and slight arteriolar narrowing and arteriovenous compression on funduscopic examination. The patient was afebrile throughout the period of ob-servation. Complete blood count, circulation time and venous pressure were within normal limits. Popliteal ar-terial pressures were not reduced. X-ray of the heart dis-closed no hypertrophy and the electrocardiogram showed no significant abnormalities. Repeated urinalyses were negative; the urine concentrated to a specific gravity of 1.022; the phenolsulfonphthalein excretion was 80 per cent in two hours; and an intravenous pyelogram was nor-mal. A benzodioxane test did not suggest the presence of a pheochromocytoma (2). METHODS The patient was kept in bed until after blood studies and blood pressure measurements were made, and am-bulatory activity was standardized at a constant level dur-ing the rest of the day. She was weighed daily before breakfast on the same scales. Distilled water was sup-plied for drinking. "Resting " blood pressures were meas-ured each morning in the same arm by the same observer, 1 This investigation was supported (in part) by re-
DOI: 10.1172/jci102311
Authors: George A. Perera, Thomas C. Fleming, Kermit L. Pines, Margaret Crymble
Institutions: NewYork–Presbyterian Hospital, Columbia University
Language: English
Subfield: Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W2013017832