Pathogenesis of systemic hypertension and glomerular injury in the spontaneously hypertensive rat.
Weanling and young spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) demonstrate higher plasma renin activity and plasma aldosterone concentration than age-matched normotensive Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) control rats. In addition, this age group exhibits a salt-retaining tendency not seen in WKYs. Nevertheless, when they reach adulthood, these differences between SHRs and WKYs are all but abolished, yet hypertension persists in SHRs. The possible mechanisms leading to these changes in SHRs and to the differences seen with advancing age are discussed. Results of micropuncture studies that help elucidate the glomerular hemodynamic adaptations to elevation in systemic blood pressure in young SHRs are also presented. Evidence is advanced suggesting that increased intraglomerular pressure is responsible for the histologic lesions characteristic of untreated severe hypertension. The salutary effects of treatment with vasodilator drugs that reduce intraglomerular pressure are emphasized.
Martínez-Maldonado
M
M
Medical Service, Veterans Administration, San Juan, Puerto Rico 00936.
Rodríguez-Sargent
C
C
Cangiano
J L
JL
Dworkin
L D
LD
D000450:Aldosterone / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor / Q000502:physiology; D002395:Catecholamines / Q000502:physiology; D005919:Glomerular Filtration Rate; D006973:Hypertension / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007678:Kidney Glomerulus / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D045283:Natriuretic Agents / Q000502:physiology; D010281:Parathyroid Hormone / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D011918:Rats, Inbred SHR; D012079:Renal Circulation; D012084:Renin-Angiotensin System; D012964:Sodium / Q000378:metabolism; D000254:Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging ATPase / Q000502:physiology
D002395:Catecholamines; D045283:Natriuretic Agents; D010281:Parathyroid Hormone; D000450:Aldosterone; D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor; D012964:Sodium; D000254:Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging ATPase