Red blood cell filterability in essential hypertension: Role of transmembranary ions fluxes

Abstract

It is known that some authors found an impairment of hemorheological characteristics in essential hypertension, related to an increased relative apparent blood viscosity and to a decreased red blood cell filterability. This latter seems to be related to a defect of transmembranary ions transport systems so that erythrocyte membrane flexibility may be reduced. It is reported that the Na/K cotransport system is impaired in several tissues of essential hypertensive patients, such as red blood cells. The aim of this work was to study filterability of washed and resuspended red blood cells by means of an erythrocyte filtrometer MF4, before and after furosemide challenge, this latter employed as a Na/K cotransport blocker. Basal filterability indices of hypertensive patients were impaired. in respect to normal controls, likely confirming a decreased red cells deformability. After furosemide addition, filterability indices of normal controls resulted impaired in respect to basal values, meanwhile parameters of hypertensives were unchanged. These findings seem to support the hypothesis of a genetically impaired Na/K cotransport system in essential hypertensive patients.