title: Haemodynamic changes associated with obesity and high blood pressure in rats with ventromedial hypothalamic lesions.
abstract: 1. The haemodynamic and plasma volume changes associated with obesity and high blood pressure were studied in nine male rats with electrolytic ventromedial hypothalamic lesions and their paired sham-operated controls. Body weight and arterial pressure were greater in the rats with ventromedial hypothalamic lesions (565 +/- 16 vs 462 +/- 14 g, P < 0.001; 128 +/- 3 vs 118 +/- 3 mmHg, P < 0.05, respectively). Cardiac output was slightly elevated, and that portion of cardiac output distributed to the kidneys was reduced (P < 0.001). Plasma volume was contracted in the rats with ventromedial hypothalamic lesions (21.0 +/- 0.1 vs 2.8 +/- 0.1 ml/100 g, P < 0.001). 2. The haemodynamic characteristics of rats in which obesity and mild hypertension have been induced by electrolytic ventromedial hypothalamic lesion are similar to mild obesity essential hypertension in men.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight; D002302:Cardiac Output; D006973:Hypertension / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007668:Kidney / Q000098:blood supply; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010953:Plasma Volume; D051381:Rats