[Differences in metabolic rate of Na+/H+ in the erythrocyte membrane in hypertension and symptomatic hypertension of renal origin].

Na+/H+ turnover rate in the erythrocyte membranes were measured in 20 patients with Stages II and III essential hypertension, 11 patients with renal hypertension and 10 healthy subjects. The patients with essential hypertension showed a two-fold increase in Na+/H+ turnover rate as compared to the controls. Those with renal hypertension displayed no changes in the rate. The rate of Na+/H+ turnover was not associated with the patients' sex and was the same in Stages II and III essential hypertension. Measuring the Na+/H+ exchange rate was proposed to be an additional diagnostic tool for the differential diagnosis of arterial hypertension.