The effects of steroid hormones on vascular tissue.

Results of clinical and experimental studies suggest that extrarenal actions of corticosteroid hormones must be involved in the overall effects of these steroids on the circulation. A dissociation between levels of mineralocorticoids and sodium balance or renal effects of steroid hormones is often observed in patients with primary or secondary forms of hypertension. Receptors for various steroids have been found in the peripheral circulation. Stimulation of these receptors probably leads to changes in the electrolyte content of the cell. In turn, these changes have a direct or indirect effect on the contractility of the vascular wall. The physiological importance of the vascular effects of steroids in human hypertension remains to be elucidated.