Pathogenesis of cardiovascular disorders in streptozotocin-induced diabetes in rat. I. Cardiovascular, renal and morphologic changes in different stages of diabetes.

Some cardiovascular (heart rate and mean arterial pressure), and renal (glomerular filtration rate-GFR; renal plasma flow-RPF; filtration fraction-FF; blood urea nitrogen-BUN and albuminuria) parameters, coupled with morphologic examination, was undertaken in early (2 months) and late (6 months) stage of streptozotocin-induced diabetes mellitus in rats. The results showed a temporally (early) bradycardia and gradually increase of blood pressure with morphologic changes typical for diabetic cardiopathy. The increased GFR (by 92%), associated with significantly decreased RPF (by 37%), increased FF (by 133%), increased kidney weight/body weight ratio (by 88%), increased BUN (by 52%) and distinct albuminuria (13.53 +/- 2.08 mg/24 h/100 g b. w.), together with typical morphologic changes, suggested the development of diabetic nephropathy which was progressive with the duration of the disease.