Whole blood filterability and blood oxygen transport in human hypertension

Abstract

Twenty one ambulatory patients with essential hypertension (10 men, 11 women), 50.6±10.5 years old, had blood pressures of 167.5±17.l mmHg systolic and 106.2±9.9 mmHg diastolic. Most of the patients were under treatment and target organ involvement was not significant. The following parameters were measured on a sample of venous blood: haemoglobin, haematocrit, P50 standard, carboxyemoglobin, red cell 2,3-diphosphoglycerate and blood filterability rate. The hypertensives were significantly different from a group of controls, in having an increase in 2,3-DPG (hypertensives, 18,5±3.32 µmoles/gHb; controls 12.01±1.32 µmoles/gHb; p < 0.01) and a lower filterability rate (11.41±1.31 µl.sec⁻¹ for hypertensives, 15.49±1.65 µl.sec^−l for controls, p < 0.01). The results suggest an increased rigidity of the blood cells which may have consequence on microcirculation and oxygen delivery to tissues. However, no significant difference in P50 standard was observed between hypertensives and controls.