[Sodium transport in the erythrocytes of patients with essential and symptomatic (renal) hypertension].

Sodium transport was investigated, using the isotope exchange method, in the erythrocyte membranes of normal subjects and patients with essential and symptomatic (renal) hypertension. In hypertensive patients, the constant of balanced Na/Na exchange rate was increased by more than 60%, and the balance concentration of erythrocytic sodium by 30%, as compared to the controls, in the presence of ouabain. These differences become far less pronounced if furosemide is added to the incubation medium. In patients with secondary (renal) hypertension, the Na/Na exchange rate and erythrocytic balance concentration of sodium are not affected by ouabain as compared to the controls. It is suggested that Na/Na-countertransport plays the principal role in the disruption of erythrocyte membrane permeability by sodium in essential hypertension.