title: Dietary sodium and the antihypertensive effect of nifedipine in spontaneously hypertensive rats.
abstract: To assess the interaction of dietary sodium and the antihypertensive response to a calcium antagonist, spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) were given a diet of regular or increased (120 v 342 mumol Na+/g food) sodium intake from 4 until 16 weeks of age. Nifedipine was added at 10 weeks of age. This level of sodium intake did not enhance the development of hypertension in SHR. In rats with the regular sodium intake, nifedipine caused only a minor decrease in blood pressure. In contrast, with increased sodium intake nifedipine caused a marked antihypertensive response, preventing the rise in blood pressure occurring between 10 and 16 weeks of age. This enhanced response was associated with a diminished blood pressure fall from ganglionic blockade. These results indicate that modest increases in sodium intake enhance the blood pressure response to a calcium antagonist possibly by potentiating its inhibitory effects on sympathetic activity.
authors.affiliation: Hypertension Unit, University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: F H
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Leenen
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Yuan
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000473:pathology; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D006584:Hexamethonium Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D009543:Nifedipine / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D010656:Phenylephrine / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D011918:Rats, Inbred SHR / Q000502:physiology*; D012982:Sodium, Dietary / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013564:Sympathetic Nervous System / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D006584:Hexamethonium Compounds; D012982:Sodium, Dietary; D010656:Phenylephrine; D009543:Nifedipine