THE EFFECTS OF HEPARIN TREATMENT ON HYPERTENSION AND VASCULAR-LESIONS IN STROKE-PRONE SPONTANEOUSLY HYPERTENSIVE RATS

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  • 1 January 1981
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 102  (1) , 62-71
Abstract
Stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats (SPSHR) were used to test the theory that heparin treatment may prevent the development of malignant hypertension and fibrinoid vascular lesions in the kidney. S.c. injections of heparin (100 units/100 g body wt) were given every 8 h over 5 wk to 12 young (10 wk old) SPSHR. A control group of 12 SPSHR was injected with saline. Heparin-treated and control animals showed an incremental rise in mean systolic pressure, but the pressure was significantly lower (P < 0.05) in the heparin-treated animals during wk 1-4 of treatment. There were significantly fewer fibrinoid vascular lesions (P < 0.03) in the heparin-treated group. In 7 additional heparin-treated and 7 control SPSHR plasma and blood volumes were determined for assessment of the effects of heparin treatment. There was no significant difference in total blood volume or plasma volume between the 2 groups, but heparin-treated animals had lower hematocrit levels. In 8 SPSHR direct arterial pressures were recorded for 1 h after a single heparin injection, and no acute changes in blood pressure were observed. Heparin treatment apparently prevents the development of severe fibrinoid vascular lesions and attenuates the rate of the rise in systolic blood pressure; this reduction in blood pressure is not caused by a significant reduction in blood volume or an acute hypotensive effect of heparin.