Experimental Hypertension in the Rhesus Monkey

Six methods useful in producing experimental hypertension in other laboratory animals were studied in rhesus monkeys. Two methods involving direct constriction of the renal arteries either by silk ligatures or small transparent plastic clamps resulted in a significant incidence of hypertension. Of 13 animals which survived 23 days or longer after renal artery constriction, 10 developed hypertension. The degree of constriction was critical, and a significant proportion of the animals succumbed in acute post-operative renal failure. Four other methods used successfully in rats, rabbits, or dogs were ineffective in the monkey. These included: (1) unilateral temporary renal occlusion and contralateral nephrectomy; (2) unilateral silk perinephritis; (3) unilateral silk perinephritis and contralateral nephrectomy; and (4) bilateral silk perinephritis. Administration of large oral doses of sodium chloride per se did not induce hypertension, nor did it increase the effectiveness of any of the above 4 procedures. Attention has been called to some of the factors which may have contributed to the failure of certain of the methods to produce hypertension in the monkey.