Structural factors increase blood pressure through the interaction of resistance vessel geometry with neurohumoral and local factors: Estimates in rabbits with renal cellophane-wrap hypertension with intact effectors and during neurohumoral blockade

Abstract

Background: The structural changes in hypertension include narrowing of the lumen of the large resistance vessels and an increase in their wall thickness:lumen ratio. Their haemodynamic role has been controversial. Objective: To examine resting haemodynamics and the responses to graded drug-induced changes in tone in renal cellophane-wrap (wrap) and sham-operated (sham) rabbits, when their neurohumoral effectors were intact and during high-level blockade. Methods: Each rabbit was implanted with a flow probe for measuring cardiac output, had catheters inserted for drug infusions, and underwent mean arterial pressure (MAP) measurements. Resting values were determined and we infused graded dose..