Effect of Maturity and Desoxycorticosterone-Induced Hypertension on Tissue Electrolytes

Abstract

Desoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA) induced hypertension does not alter the tissue Na, K, Cl or water contents of abdominal muscle or liver as compared to electrolytes from tissues of untreated and DOCA-treated normotensive animals. In stomach muscle of hypertensive animals there is an increase in the Na content of cells, calculated using Cl space as the extracellular space; but the difference is of borderline statistical significance. In contrast, maturity is accompanied by decrease in tissue and cellular Na in all tissues. Maturity also decreases tissue water, and increases tissue K content. Decrease in tissue water occurs in the Cl space in abdominal muscle and in the cellular space in stomach muscle. Only abdominal muscle shows increase in cellular space with maturity. Increased cellular K concentrations occurred only in stomach muscle. Changes in tissue electrolytes and water with maturity may be specific to the tissue and hypertension is not necessarily accompanied by generalized changes in tissue electrolytes.