Gardiovascular responses to prostaglandin f2α in spontaneously hypertensive rats

To test the hypothesis that abnormal prostaglandin reactivity may be a characteristic of essential hypertension, cardiovascular responses to prostaglandin F_2α (PGF_2α) were measured in young spontaneously hypertensive (SHR) and Wistar normotensive rats (NR). PGF_2α(1 sec injection; 50 l/100 g.; .05, .5, 5, 50 g salt/kg) was injected retrograde into the femoral artery. Maximum changes were measured with respect to: 1) four different diameter categories of cremaster muscle arterioles, 2) mean arterial pressure (MAP), 3) pulse pressure (PP) and 4) heart rate. PGF_2α at 5 and 50 g/kg significantly increased NR and SHR blood pressure. SHR MAP increased significantly more than NR MAP with the 50 g dose (P <. 001). PGF_2α increased NR PP at the 50 g/kg dose and increased SHR PP at the .5, 5 and 50 g/kg dose. SHR PP response was significantly greater than that of the NR with the .5, 5 and 50 g/kg dose (P < .05, .01, .001 respectively). The mean SHR arteriolar constriction was greater than that of NR with the 50 g dose. The only change in heart rate was a 3% decrease from control in both NR and SHR during the pressor response to 50 g/kg. These results show an increased cardiovascular reactivity to PGF_2α in SHR and may further suggest prostaglandin involvement in hypertensive disease.