[Mechanical resistance of erythrocytes in hypertension]

Mechanical resistance of red cell membranes was assessed in 97 patients with Stages I-III essential hypertension and in 20 normal subjects by the ultrasonic method. Parallel with these studies red cell cholesterol and phospholipid levels were measured and these cells' deformability assessed by the viscosimetric technique. The findings evidence that red cell mechanical resistance increases with the patient's age and depends on the disease stage and duration. Red cell deformability was found decreased in essential hypertension patients vs. the norm. A direct correlation was revealed between red cell mechanical resistance (from the time of hemolysis) and the value of arterial pressure in essential hypertension (r = 0.505, p less than 0.001).