INFLUENCE OF PROTEIN, CARBOHYDRATE AND SALT ON ARTERIAL PRESSURE OF DOGS WITH EXPERIMENTAL RENAL HYPERTENSION

Abstract

Four dogs with arterial hypertension of long standing induced by cellophane or silk perinephritis were given for several mos. diets either high in protein or low in protein and high in carbohydrate. Changes in arterial pressure which were considered significant were not observed in any of these dogs. Fall in the blood pressure in one hypophysectomized hypertensive dog may have been associated with development of cirrhosis of the liver. Fall of blood pressure in another hypertensive dog was associated with the occurrence of an extensive apical myocardial infarction which presumably appeared while the animal was receiving a low protein, high carbohydrate diet. Admn. of 10 g. of salt daily for 30 days did not elevate the blood pressure in this animal. Two dogs fed a diet of dried whole milk with the Na largely removed ("Lonalac") for 7 mos. did not show significant changes in arterial pressure despite marked loss of body wt. Subsequent admn. of 6 g. of salt daily for 4 months did not appreciably affect arterial pressure. Total plasma proteins on the salt-poor diet rose in hypertensive dogs due chiefly to increase in globulins. In the normal dog, all fractions increased.