Relationship between the sympathetic nervous system and sodium potassium adenosine triphosphatase inhibitor in salt-sensitive patients with essential hypertension.

In order to evaluate endogenous Na+,K+-ATPase inhibitor on sympathetic nerve endings, endogenous Na+,K+-ATPase inhibitor and plasma noradrenaline were determined in patients with essential hypertension under different sodium conditions. Compared with the plasma from non-salt-sensitive patients, that from salt-sensitive patients showed significantly higher Na+,K+-ATPase inhibitor and plasma noradrenaline levels. Salt-induced changes in endogenous Na+,K+-ATPase inhibitor and those in blood pressure or plasma noradrenaline showed positive correlations. These results suggest that the salt-induced increase in endogenous Na+,K+-ATPase inhibitor might induce blood pressure elevation in essential hypertension, at least partly via increased noradrenaline levels.