Changes in blood volume and plasma sodium concentration after water intake in rats

Changes in blood volume (BV) and Na+ concentration of plasma ([Na+]) were measured continuously during recovery from thermal dehydration in rats. At least 5 days prior to the experiments rats were cannulated into both the jugular vein and the descending aorta. After thermal dehydration (DBT: 36 degrees C, RH: 20%) amounting to approximately 6% of body wt, catheters were connected to a system for continuous monitoring of BV and [Na+]. Water was made available and water intake, BV, and [Na+] were recorded at 30-s intervals for 4 h. The rats took 2-3 ml of water/100 g of body wt in the first 10 min and then drank 1 ml at 30- to 60-min intervals to reach equilibrium in 2-3 h. The relations between water intake and delta BV and between delta[Na+] were analyzed for 2 h after the start of water supply. BV was unchanged until 18.9 +/- 3.6 min after access to water, whereas [Na+] started to decrease after 3.6 +/- 0.6 min. The retention ratio of ingested fluid in the vascular space was 20.8 +/- 2.8%, and the decrease of [Na+] was 1.5 +/- 0.2 meq X l-1 X ml ingested fluid-1 X 100 g body wt-1. These results indicate that drinking causes the change of [Na+] more rapidly than that of blood volume.