Body sodium level in hypertensive and normotensive rats: effects of dietary sodium levels and sodium loads.
Rats of the genetically hypertensive (GH) strain do not have an increased body sodium content or increased natriuresis of hypertension. Spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR), on the other hand, have an increased body sodium content and an increased rate of excretion of a sodium load. They also have an increased appetite for salt. In a study on three groups of normotensive rats with high normal, low normal, and very low sodium intakes, respectively, body sodium content was highest with the highest intake and lowest with the lowest intake. At the age of 22 weeks, after being on these intakes for 6 weeks, all three groups were put on a low sodium intake. Body sodium content of the two groups with the previous higher intakes failed to fall to the level of the group with the previous lowest intake. Thus there may be a prolonged carryover effect of salt intake in rats. The results are discussed in terms of the set point theory for sodium homeostasis.
D000818:Animals; D004039:Diet, Sodium-Restricted; D004326:Drinking; D005518:Food Preferences; D006973:Hypertension / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D009318:Natriuresis; D011817:Rabbits; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012964:Sodium / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism*; D013045:Species Specificity
D012964:Sodium