THE EFFECTS OF DIETARY POTASSIUM ON VASCULAR AND GLOMERULAR-LESIONS IN HYPERTENSIVE RATS

The present study examines the effects of dietary potassium (K) on hyp ertensive glomerular and vascular lesions in deoxycorticosterone aceta te and salt induced (DOCA-salt) and two kidney one clip (2K1C) hyperte nsive as well as normotensive control rats. Animals received a regular (0.28% K), high (1.1% K) or low (0.07% K) potassium diet for 6 weeks. In control rats, low K diet significantly increased systolic blood pr essure (SBP) (p<0.05). In DOCA-salt rats, high K diet did not modify S BP or glomerular and vascular lesions while low K diet significantly i ncreased premature death in these rats. In 2K1C rats, dietary K did no t alter the blood pressure, but percentage media area (% media) of int ramyocardial arteries, percentage of glomerular lesions, and renal art erial and arteriolar lesion scores were lower in high K diet rats than regular and low K diet rats (p<0.05). This study is the first demonst ration that high K diet can protect against vascular and glomerular le sions in a non salt-loaded hypertensive model. The beneficial effects of dietary K on vascular lesions are at least in part independent of c hanges in blood pressure, and may be renin related.