Sodium homeostasis in lymphocytes and blood pressure alterations before and during salt restriction in normotensives and in essential hypertensives.

Blood pressure, lymphocytic sodium content and sodium efflux were studied in hypertensive and normotensive subjects during salt restriction. Diastolic blood pressure decreased significantly in both groups. In essential hypertension the initial high lymphocyte sodium content decreased during salt depletion with a simultaneous decrease in absolute sodium efflux probably due to primary changes in sodium influx. Conversely intralymphocytic sodium content increased in normotensive subjects, which may be caused by an inhibition of the sodium, potassium pump. Our findings indicate that autoregulatory mechanisms with regard to lymphocyte sodium metabolism differs between hypertensive and normotensive subjects.