Normalization of pressure-natriuresis by nisoldipine in spontaneously hypertensive rats

This study examined whether the calcium antagonist nisoldipine can shift the relations between sodium excretion, papillary blood flow, renal interstitial pressure, and renal perfusion pressure toward lower pressures in spontaneously hypertensive rats. Mean arterial pressure decreased similarly by 9% and 12% in Wistar-Kyoto and spontaneously hypertensive rats after nisoldipine (0.5 microgram/kg bolus + 0.017 microgram/kg/min). Urine flow and sodium excretion increased by 35% and 24% in Wistar-Kyoto rats after nisoldipine. In contrast, urine flow and sodium excretion rose by 121% and 132% in spontaneously hypertensive rats, and fractional sodium excretion rose from 1.9 +/- 0.3 to 4.2 +/- 0.4%. Control sodium excretion, papillary blood flow, and renal interstitial pressure were significantly lower in spontaneously hypertensive rats than in Wistar-Kyoto rats when compared at similar renal perfusion pressures. Sodium excretion, papillary blood flow, and renal interstitial pressure all increased in spontaneously hypertensive rats after nisoldipine, whereas it had no effect on papillary blood flow or renal interstitial pressure in Wistar-Kyoto rats. The relations among sodium excretion, papillary blood flow, renal interstitial pressure, and renal perfusion pressure were shifted toward lower pressures in spontaneously hypertensive rats given nisoldipine and became similar to those seen in Wistar-Kyoto rats. These results indicate that nisoldipine normalizes the relations among sodium excretion, renal interstitial pressure, papillary blood flow, and renal perfusion pressure in spontaneously hypertensive rats perhaps by correcting the defect in renal medullary perfusion associated with resetting of pressure natriuresis in this model of hypertension.