Morphological findings in spontaneously hypertensive rats in comparison with findings after experimental renal hypertension.

The morphological findings in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) were compared with the findings after experimental renal hypertension. In addition the effect of an arteriosclerogenic diet was investigated. Cardiac hypertrophy occurred in all types of hypertension. During the course of renal hypertension there was also hypertrophy of the tunica media of the arterial vessels of the heart, kidneys, mesenterium, and orta. Degenerative changes in the vascular walls occurred when nephrectomized rats were given a diet containing 2% cholesterol and 1% cholic acid. This produced intima lipoidosis after seven to eleven weeks. The intensity seemed to be dependent on the degree of hypertension and the duration of the experiment.