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Abstract Hypertension is considered to be a chronic medical condition in which the blood pressure rises more than its normal range 120/80 ml/Hg. Blood pressure in HT reaches more than140/90 ml/Hg. Hypertension is considered one of the most common diseases in Egypt, and it has an incidence rate of 26.3% in last years. Hypertension is categorized into essential (primary) representing 90-95% of cases and secondary which occurs as a result of other conditions, such as renal or endocrinal diseases (adrenal adenoma phenochromocytoma); Essential hypertension (EH) importance is based on its prevalence and its association with morbidity and mortality. EH is a common, polygenic, complex disorder resulting from interaction of several genes with each other and with environmental factors such as obesity, dietary salt intake, and alcohol consumption. The present study investigates The activity of some neurotransmitter-controlling enzymes and its relation with essential hypertension. These enzymes are: 1- Acetyl cholinesterase which hydrolyses acetyl choline an important neurotransmitter which relaxes blood vessels. 2- Monoamine oxidase which hydrolyses monoamines such as serotonin another important neurotransmitter which affects the psychological state and has a vasoconstrictor effect. 3- Nitric oxide synthase which synthesizes nitric oxide which has a vasodilator effect. The aim of this study is to investigate the relations between essential hypertension and the activity of some neurotransmitter-controlling enzymes. The study included the determination of: A- Body mass index, lipid profile, fasting blood glucose, complete blood picture, urine analysis, ionized calcium and kidney function tests. B- Pseudo cholinesterase in plasma, true cholinesterase, monoamine oxidase in plasma and nitric oxide synthase by determination of plasma nitrite +nitrates. The present study was conducted on 30 essential hypertension patients recruited from the outpatient clinic of the Internal Medicine Department in the Medical Research Institute, Alexandria University. And Control subjects: comprising 15 healthy, age-matched subjects as the case subjects and there was no difference in BMI between patients and control. The results indicated that: 1- There was a slight increase in LDL and a slight decrease in HDL in hypertensive patients compared to control group. 2- Fasting blood glucose was within normal range in both HT patients and control group. 3- Kidney function tests were within normal range in both HT and control subjects. 4- There was a decrease in ionized calcium in HT patients compared to control group. 5- There was a decrease in the activity of pseudocholinesterase in HT patients compared to control group. 6- There was a decrease in the activity of monoamine oxidase in HT patients compared to control group. 7- There was a decrease in nitrite +nitrates plasma content in HT patients which indicates a decrease in the activity of nitric oxide synthase. |