Histological studies in hypertensive rats

• Main Author: Logan, June R.
• Language: English
• Published: University of British Columbia 2012
• Subjects: Hypertension
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/2429/41130

Eleven rats were made hypertensive by intramuscular injection of desoxycorticosterone acetate. In elevation in blood pressure of over 40 mm. Hg. was maintained for periods of 1.3 to 8.3 months before the animals were sacrificed. Histological sections were prepared of kidneys, adrenals, heart, liver, pancreas and duodenum. Microscopical examination revealed slight degrees of tubular and glomerular degeneration in the kidneys of animals with hypertension of 3 to 8 months duration. No change in the juxtaglomerular apparatus was observed. Vascular disease was almost completely absent from any of the organs studied. It was concluded that an elevation in blood pressure can be maintained for periods up to 8 months without obvious renal or vascular damage Hypertension in this case was probably due to arteriolar spasms causing increased peripheral resistance. It was suggested that appearance of arteriolosclerosis might mark the onset of an irreversible phase of hypertension. === Science, Faculty of === Botany, Department of === Zoology, Department of === Graduate