Effects of acute haemodialysis-induced changes in sodium balance upon experimentally hypertensive rats

In two-kidney Goldblatt hypertensive, spontaneously hypertensive, and normotensive control rats, the activity of the renin-angiotensin system was tested during variation of sodium balance. Acute, exactly calculable and selective changes in total body sodium were achieved by haemodialysing conscious rats, using dialysates with high and low sodium contents. The activity of the renin-angiotensin system was evaluated by blood pressure response to angiogtensin II blockade (saralasin bolus injection; 25 micrograms/kg b.w., i.v.) and plasma renin activity. During sodium-depletion, blood pressure maintenance became renin-dependent; sodium-loading caused a decrease of renin-angiotensin activity in renovascular hypertension. A weak direct correlation between depressor response to saralasin and the plasma renin activity could be established in the different sodium-depleted and sodium-loaded states.