[Characteristics of sodium metabolism in rats with experimental hypertension caused by chronic alimentary imbalance]

Beginning from 1.5 month of life Wistar rats were kept under conditions of chronic 1 and 2% salt loading combined with a low-protein diet (6-8% of protein VS, as compared with 23-24% in the normal diet). At the age of 14-16 months when a stable hypertension developed due to the above alimentary imbalance, their sodium metabolism was studied using whole-body radiometry with 22Na. A three-chamber model of 22Na metabolism was developed for the analysis of 22Na excretion from the body. This helped in establishing the heterogeneity of sodium metabolism in experimental animals. Besides that, it has been shown that not only sodium retention in the body, but also its redistribution between intra- and extravascular sections play an important role in the development of hypertension. Protein deficiency in the diet aggravates sodium metabolism disorders in experimental animals.