Chronobiological evidence for an uncoupling of the Na,K-ATPase to aldosterone in normal renin hypertension.

The Na,K-ATPase activity of erythrocyte membranes is markedly increased in normal-renin essential hypertensives. A temporal shift of the chronobiology of the erythrocyte-membrane-bound Na,K-ATPase in these patients is described. The disorder causes a loss of synchronism between the circadian rhythms of aldosterone and Na,K-ATPase. Such uncoupling phenomenon may explain the inversion of the day/night sodium excretion ratio and other disturbances of sodium metabolism found in essential hypertensives.