Increased weight and protein contents of the aorta and left ventricle in acute Goldblatt hypertension.

The weight and protein contents of the aorta and left ventricle were measured in rabbits with two-kidney or one-kidney Goldblatt hypertension (group 2H and group 1H) and in respective control animals (group 2C and group 1C). 14 days after a renal artery constriction the protein contents of the aorta were greater in group 2H (124+/-3 mg) than in group 2C (95+/-2 mg) (p less than 0.001) and in group 1H (124+/-5 mg) than in group 1C (102+/-4 mg) (p less than 0.001). The weight and protein contents of the aorta and of the left ventricle were also significantly greater in group 1H and group 2H than in group 1C and group 2C respectively. Furthermore in both types of hypertension the weight and protein contents of these two organs significantly correlated to the blood pressure. These results indicate that hypertrophy of the aorta as well as the left ventricle develops already in early developing stage of Goldblatt hypertension.