Potassium Influx into Erythrocytes in Essential Hypertension

Sodium plus potassium (Na + K) cotransport in erythrocytes of patients with essential hypertension has mainly been studied elsewhere by measuring net outward frusemide-sensitive Na and K movements. We compared K influx (tracer Rubidium) in control subjects and hypertensives who had never previously been treated for hypertension. The cotransport K influx rates in controls and hypertensives were 0.44 ± 0.02 (μmol/ml cells/h; mean ± s.e.; n = 20) and 0.67 ± 0.06 (μmol/ml cells/h; mean ± s.e; n = 23) respectively. The active influxes were 1.03 ± 0.03 and 2.06 ± 0.13 (μmol/ml cells/h; mean ± s.e.) respectively. The variance of both parameters was significantly greater in the hypertensive group but, taking this into account, the differences were significant (P < 0.01).Journal of Hypertension 2:405-409, 1984