The blood pressure and metabolic effects of 19-nor-deoxycorticosterone and 19-nor-progesterone in sheep.

The present study examines the blood pressure and metabolic effects of 5 day infusions of 19-nor-deoxycorticosterone (19-nor-DOC) and 19- nor-progesterone (19-nor-PROG) in the intact conscious sheep. Both these steroids raise blood pressure in the rat. 19-nor-DOC (5 mg/d) produced a significant increase in mean arterial pressure (MAP) of 17 mmHg on day 5 (p less than 0.001), associated with 'mineralocorticoid' effects hypokalaemia, hypernatraemia and an initial urinary sodium retention. In contrast 19-nor-PROG (5 mg/d and 50 mg/d) had no effect on MAP and displayed no 'mineralocorticoid' activity.