Cortisone hypertension in potassium-deficient rats with a renal ligature.

PREVIOUS studies " have shown that a specific depressor response occurs in normotensive and hypertensive rats following deprivation of dietary potassium. Cortisone restores the lowered blood pressures of such potassium-deficient rats to their initial normotensive' 6 or hypertensive levels. Although a similar depressor response occurs in human subjects, when fed a potassium-deficient diet and in association with clinical states of potassium depletion,' a rise of blood pressure occurs in most patients with Cushing's syndrome, despite the presence of potassium deficiency. In the following studies we have explored similar circumstances in which cortisone might induce hypertension in potassium-deficient rats.