Erythrocyte sodium-potassium co-transport in hypertension

This paper reports on the measurement of sodium-potassium co-transport across red cell membranes in patients with hypertension and in normotensive volunteers. No differences were found in flux values between these two groups. Antihypertensive medication such as propranolol and enalapril (converting enzyme inhibitor) had no unequivocal effect on the measured cation transport. Individual diurnal and day-to-day variation of fluxes appear to be substantial. It is concluded that uniformity in the assay procedure may be of great importance before studying any difference in cation transport between various populations.