Comparative assessment of captopril and aspirin administration during dynamic renal scintigraphy in diagnosing renovascular hypertension

The shortcoming of the captopril test used as a noninvasing screening method in diagnosing renovascular hypertension (RVH) is that in the course of study, ACE-inhibitors (angiotensin-converting enzymes) and diuretics should be discontinued from the therapeutic scheme of patients. The authors compare it to the alternative one with aspirin. The study covers eight patients with angiographic evidence of RVH with significant unilateral stenosis of the renal artery. The obtained results are evaluated on the ground of quantitative (Tmax, T1/2, divided renal function and retention index), as well as qualitative criteria (visual assay). As shown by the results the functional effect of captopril is rather markedly expressed in 6 patients, and the effect of aspirin - in 2. It is concluded that captopril test is more accurate in demonstrating RVH, but in patients with firm clinical evidence of a significant angiotensin II-dependent RVH and negative captopril test, it is advisable to apply aspirin test with a view to differentiate renovascular from essential hypertension