Self-Sustaining, Post-DCA Hypertensive Cardiovascular Disease

Abstract

The admn. of DCA in 20 mg. pellets to young rats is followed in 3 mos. by a form of hypertensive cardiovascular disease which is completely self-sustaining in the absence of further DCA admn. The post-DCA syndrome is characterized pathologically by renal hypertrophy, progressive cardiac enlargement and generalizing arteriolar thickening predominantly involving the muscular coat. Blood pressure is maintained in a range of 180-220 mm. Hg until death. Water and Na intakes and outputs are within the normal ranges. The blood pressure elevation in this syndrome appears to involve the nervous system as a final pathway. The elevation is not mediated through the adrenal, thyroid, parathyroid or gonad, although the pituitary seems to function as an intermediate agency. The presence of the kidney seems essential to the maintenance of the elevated pressure; the mechanism of its participation is unknown. The hypertension is unaffected by drastic restriction of Na or K. The syndrome of post-DCA hypertensive cardiovascular disease in both its morphologic and functional characteristics resembles those cases of human essential hypertension in which the maintenance of elevated blood pressure does not involve the participation of the adrenal cortex.