[Role of vasopressin in the development of arterial hypertension and the search for ways to correct it].

The sensitivity of the vessel smooth muscles to vasopressin and their contractile responses were obviously increased in hypertensive rats, whereas the vasopressin inhibitory effect and tachyphylaxis were decreased. These changes seem to be connected with the prevalence of V1-activating over V2-inhibitory vasopressin receptors in hypertensive rats' vessel smooth muscles. Administration of lithium oxybutyrate for 4 weeks normalized central hemodynamics and decreased the sensitivity to vasopressin. The findings suggest a possible role of the inositol pathway in transmission of hormonal signal (vasopressin) to hypertensive rats' vessel smooth muscles as well as participation of vasopressin in pathogenesis of arterial hypertension and the possibility of using lithium oxybutyrate for its correction.