The Cardiovascular Response in Experimental Nephritis

The problem of hypertension and hypertrophy of the heart as related to renal disease is one that has claimed an increasing amount of clinical and experimental research. Knowledge of the subject has been broadened but unfortunately has produced two directly opposite and apparently irreconcilable views. These are typified by the recently expressed opinions of Kylin1on the one hand, who says, "All attempts to explain any hypertension secondary to kidney insufficiency are a failure," and of Romberg,2on the other, who says, "In every case where the maximum pressure is constantly 160 or higher, kidney disease may be the cause irrespective of the diastolic pressure." Fahr's3view is similar to that of Romberg,2and in explanation he says that hypertension is a compensatory mechanism which prevents or diminishes kidney symptoms but that kidney injury does exist. It is further pointed out that it is necessary to