Effects of acute hemodialysis-induced changes in sodium balance on the renin-angiotensin system in renovascular and spontaneously hypertensive rats.

In two-kidney Goldblatt hypertensive, spontaneously hypertensive, and normotensive control rats the activity of the renin-angiotensin system was tested during variation of sodium balance. Acute, exactly calculable and selective changes of total body sodium were achieved by hemodialyzing the conscious rats using dialysate with either high or low sodium content. The activity of the RAS was evaluated by blood pressure response to AT II blockade (saralasin bolus injection; 25 micrograms/kg b.w., i.v.) and the plasma-renin activity. During sodium depletion blood pressure maintenance became renin-dependent; sodium loading caused a decrease of renin-angiotensin activity in renovascular hypertension. A weak direct correlation between deprssor response to saralasin and the PRA could be established in the different sodium-depleted and -loaded states.