title: Erythrocyte cation cotransport and countertransport in essential hypertension.
abstract: We studied erythrocyte cation cotransport and countertransport systems in 21 and 27 patients with essential hypertension, respectively, all of whom were under 50 years of age, had a diastolic blood pressure level greater than 100 mm Hg, and had a family history of hypertension. The following parameters were normal in nearly all patients: total erythrocyte Na+ and K+ concentrations, the maximal rate (Vmax) of inward cotransport, the affinity of cotransport with Rb+ as the substrate, the net outward cotransport of Na+ ions, the passive "leak" influx of Rb,+ and the maximal rate of Li+-Na+ countertransport. Only four patients gave clearly abnormal results; in two the maximal rate of both cotransport and countertransport was double the normal values, while another two patients demonstrated a greater than twofold increase in passive "leak" influx to Rb+ ions. Most of the patients with moderate to severe essential hypertension in this Australian study were characterized by normal erythrocyte cation fluxes, but a few showed elevation of both cotransport and countertransport of cations.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001692:Biological Transport; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology; D007700:Kinetics; D008094:Lithium / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011188:Potassium / Q000097:blood*; D012413:Rubidium / Q000097:blood; D012964:Sodium / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D008094:Lithium; D012964:Sodium; D012413:Rubidium; D011188:Potassium