Acute saline expansion lowers blood pressure of early DOCA salt hypertensive rats.

Changes in blood pressure and body fluids volume caused by an acute saline load were studied in 6 normal and 7 DOCA-salt early hypertensive rats having normal inulin space and plasma volume. After loading, blood pressure increased in the normal group (+23 mm Hg) and fell (-17 mm Hg) in the DOCA-salt group. Expansion of extracellular fluid volume was similar in both groups but expansion of plasma volume was twice as high in the DOCA-salt than in the normal group. The results are compatible with an inhibition of a volume-sensitive vasopressor mechanism possibly involving vasopressin.