Dependence of deoxycorticosterone/salt hypertension in the rat on the activity of adrenergic cardiac nerves.

1. Chronic hypertension was induced in Wistar rats with intact kidneys by subcutaneous implantation of 50 mg of deoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA) in wax and addition of sodium chloride (9 g/l) to the drinking water. 2. The development of DOCA/salt hypertension, as monitored by tail-cuff plethysmography, was prevented by: (a) destruction of the peripheral adrenergic nerves with neonatal administration of guanethidine (80 mg/kg subcutaneously for the first 14 days postnatally); (b) bilateral stellate ganglionectomy; (c) oral administration of the beta-adrenoreceptor antagonists propranolol or atenolol (1 mg day-1 kg-1) during the period of DOCA/salt treatment. 3. The dose of DOCA used was sufficient to inhibit the atrial Uptake2 pathway completely: this process appears to participate in termination of action of neurally released noradrenaline in the heart. 4. It is suggested that this model of DOCA/salt hypertension is due to adrenergic enhancement of cardiac output in the presence of an increased sodium load. The enhancement may be partly due to deficient myocardial inactivation of noradrenaline.