The sodium pump in hypertension.
There is increasing evidence that the sodium pump plays a role in essential hypertension. Recent publications have focused on intrinsic alterations in pump activity, external modification of pump activity by circulating inhibitors, and endothelial mediation of endogenous inhibitor effects on the vascular response. Hence, this review focuses on these areas. Although there is intriguing evidence that alterations in sodium pump activity might contribute to the pathogenesis of hypertension, in at least some sodium-sensitive models and some patients with essential hypertension, the evidence remains circumstantial and areas of substantial controversy exist.
Endocrine-Hypertension Division, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115.
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D000818:Animals; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000502:physiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000502:physiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D000254:Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging ATPase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
D000254:Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging ATPase