Sodium and Potassium Content of Rat Heart Muscle Following Nephrectomy. ∗

Abstract

Summary

Thirty-six rats were divided into 3 equal groups; control, nephrectomized and nephrectomized-dialyzed. A specific cardiac lesion was found in 8 nephrectomized animals with 2 other animals showing minimal lesions. The nephrectomized-dialyzed animals demonstrated 3 definite lesions and 6 minimal lesions, whereas control animals showed one minimal lesion. The nephrectomized-dialyzed animals had a normal serum sodium, whereas the nephrectomized animals showed a significant decrease. Both groups of animals showed a moderately elevated serum potassium and had identical increases in cardiac content of potassium and decreases in sodium per unit of dry weight. The dissociation of frequency of cardiac lesions in the 2 groups of nephrectomized animals, despite identical sodium and potassium content, suggests that electrolyte concentration is not the significant factor causing the myocardial lesion.