[Changes in body fluid spaces in hypertension patients treated with different diuretics]

Body fluid spaces: total body fluid volume, extracellular fluid volume, circulating plasma volume, intracellular and interstitial fluid volumes were studied in 60 patients with essential hypertension, stage IIB. The studies were performed prior and following a two-week treatment with diuretics ( furosemid , oxodolin , hydrochlorothiazide, brinaldix ). The patients were divided into 3 groups. I--patients whose total body fluid volume was considerably increased due to intracellular fluid. They had the highest blood pressure level. Treatment with diuretics was the most effective in this group and was accompanied by intracellular fluid reduction and slight circulating plasma volume decrease. II--patients whose fluid spaces did not differ from those of normal subjects. Treatment with diuretics was effective and accompanied by simultaneous reduction in intracellular and interstitial fluid volumes. III--patients with reduced interstitial fluid volume and raised circulating plasma/interstitial fluid ratio. Treatment with diuretics was ineffective and accompanied by intracellular fluid level reduction and fluid passage from the vascular bed into the interstitial space. Furosemid and oxodolin were most effective decreasing intracellular fluid volume, hydrochlorothizide --reducing interstitial fluid volume and brinaldix was equally effective decreasing both fluid volumes.