The Influence of Potassium and Bicarbonate on Red Blood Cell Sodium in the Doca-Hypertensive Pig

Abstract

The effects of plasma potassium, and blood bicarbonate on red blood cell sodium were studied in vivo in seven pigs implanted subcutaneously with DOCA (100 mg/kg) impregnated in Silastic. Mean arterial pressure, red blood cell sodium, plasma sodium, plasma potassium, and blood bicarbonate were measured from 5 days pre-implant to 30 days post-implant. One day post-implant, the pigs had significant increases in mean arterial pressure and red cell sodium content, and a significant decrease in plasma potassium concentration. In KC1 infusion studies when plasma potassium was raised an average of

Key Words:

• sodium pump
• anion channels
• hypertensive mechanism
• hypokalemia