Role of extracellular volume expansion in the development of DOC-salt hypertension in the rat

Changes in inulin space, plasma and blood volume, exchangeable and "noninulin" sodium were studied during the prehypertensive, early and late hypertensive stages of deoxycorticosterone (DOC)-salt administration in the rat. The effect of an acute water load in previously nephrectomized animals was also studied. Hypertension developed after 1 to 2 weeks of the DOC-salt regimen and was always preceded by enlargement of the inulin space and increased plasma and blood volume. Expansion of extracellular fluids receded when blood pressure started to rise but reappeared after 4 to 6 weeks of treatment. Plasma sodium was high only in the hypertensive groups. An acute water load increased blood pressure of normal rats and decreased blood pressure of DOC-salt early hypertensive rats. These findings suggest that extracellular volume expansion inhibits a vasopressor mechanism that involves vasopressin and could be stimulated by hypernatremia.