Resumen

BARBER FOX, María O.  y  BARBER GUTIERREZ, Ernesto. El sistema renina-angiotensina y el riñón en la fisiopatología de la hipertensión arterial esencial. Rev Cubana Invest Bioméd [online]. 2003, vol.22, n.3, pp.192-198. ISSN 0864-0300.

An updating of the main effects of this system on the renal function and its possible relationship with the development of primary hypertensive disease is presented. The renin-angiotensin system has been one of the most studied mechanisms in connection with the physiopathology of primary arterial hypertension. This system has diverse effects on the multiple target organ in the organism that cause the increase of arterial pressure due to the rise of vascular resistance or to the augmentation of the volume of extracellular fluid. Among the mechanisms of the renin-angiotensin system, those taking place in the kidney, as a predominant organ in the long term control of arterial hypertension, are undoubtedly very important. It was concluded that all the effects of angiotensin II on the kidney produce the reduction of the excretion of Na+ by this organ, an increase of the volume of extracellular fluid, of blood volume and of arterial pressure.

Palabras clave : HYPERTENSION [physiopathology]; RENIN-ANGIOTENSIN SYSTEM; KIDNEY.