48 High Potassium Intake Lowers Blood Pressure in Essential Hypertension

High potassium intake is known to attenuate hypertension, glomerular lesion, ischemic damage, and stroke-associated death. Our recent studies showed that expression of recombinant kallikrein by somatic gene delivery reduced high blood pressure, cardiac hypertrophy, and renal injury in hypertensive animal models. The aim of this study is to explore the potential role of the tissue kallikrein-kinin system in blood pressure reduction and renal protection in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) on a high-potassium diet. Young SHR were given drinking water with or without 1% potassium chloride for 6 wk. Systolic blood pressure was significantly reduced beginning at 1 wk, and the effect lasted for 6 wk in the potassium-supplemented group compared with that in the control group. Potassium supplement induced 70 and 40% increases in urinary kallikrein levels and renal bradykinin B2 receptor density, respectively ( P < 0.05), but did not change serum kininogen levels. Similarly, Northern blot analysis showed that renal kallikrein mRNA levels increased 2.7-fold, whereas hepatic kininogen mRNA levels remained unchanged in rats with high potassium intake. No difference was observed in β-actin mRNA levels in the kidney or liver of either group. Competitive RT-PCR showed a 1.7-fold increase in renal bradykinin B2 receptor mRNA levels in rats with high potassium intake. Potassium supplement significantly increased water intake, urine excretion, urinary kinin, cAMP, and cGMP levels. This study suggests that upregulation of the tissue kallikrein-kinin system may be attributed, in part, to blood pressure-lowering and diuretic effects of high potassium intake.

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Does Increasing Potassium Intake Lower Blood Pressure in Essential Hypertension?

Journal of Cardiovascular Pharmacology ◽

10.1097/00005344-198400061-00038 ◽

1984 ◽

Vol 6 ◽

pp. S244 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Graham A. MacGregor ◽

Stephen J. Smith ◽

Nirmala D. Markandu ◽

Giuseppe A. Sagnella

Keyword(s):

Blood Pressure ◽

Essential Hypertension ◽

Lower Blood Pressure ◽

Potassium Intake ◽

Lower Blood

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Studies on the Hypotensive Effect of High Potassium Intake in Patients with Essential Hypertension

Clinical Science ◽

10.1042/cs061077s ◽

1981 ◽

Vol 61 (s7) ◽

pp. 77s-80s ◽

Cited By ~ 76

Author(s):

Osamu Iimura ◽

Toshiaki Kijima ◽

Kenjiro Kikuchi ◽

Akiyoshi Miyama ◽

Toshiaki Ando ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Essential Hypertension ◽

Control Period ◽

Extracellular Fluid ◽

Hypotensive Effect ◽

Fluid Volume ◽

Electrolyte Balance ◽

High Potassium ◽

Plasma Aldosterone Concentration ◽

Potassium Intake ◽

Potassium Loading

1. In order to confirm and investigate the hypotensive effect of a high potassium intake we compared mean arterial pressure (MAP), water and electrolyte balance, plasma and urinary noradrenaline (NA), plasma renin activity (PRA) and plasma aldosterone concentration (PAC) in 20 inpatients with mild or moderate essential hypertension on a control diet (Na: 260, K: 75 mmol/day), and after high (K: 175 mmol/day) and low potassium diets (K: 25 mmol/day). 2. After potassium loading, urinary volume (UV) and urinary excretion of sodium (UNaV) and of potassium (UKV) were elevated, and MAP, body weight, plasma volume (PV), extracellular fluid volume (ECFV) and total exchangeable sodium (Nae) were reduced significantly. 3. After potassium loading, PRA, PAC, plasma and urinary NA increased and the pressor response to infused noradrenaline and angiotensin II decreased significantly. 4. The reduction of MAP after potassium loading correlated positively with PV and ECFV during the control period. In addition, significant correlations were found between ΔUV and ΔUNaV, —ΔPV and ΔU/NaV, —ΔPV and Δ plasma NA, and Δ plasma NA and Δ PRA. 5. Patients with low PRA had high PV, ECFV and Nae during the control period, and showed greater reductions of MAP, PV, ECFV and Nae after potassium loading. 6. After potassium restriction, UNaV, PRA and urinary NA decreased and PV increased, and MAP did not change significantly. 7. These results suggest that the hypotensive effect of high potassium intake may be caused by reduction of body fluid volume via augmentation of Na excretion.

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Effects of Moderate Salt Restriction and High Potassium Intake on Intralymphocytic Sodium Content and Pressor Response to Stress in Borderline Hypertension

Clinical Science ◽

10.1042/cs063231s ◽

1982 ◽

Vol 63 (s8) ◽

pp. 231s-234s ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

E. Ambrosioni ◽

F. V. Costa ◽

C. Borghi ◽

L. Montebugnoli ◽

M. F. Giordani ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Blood Pressure ◽

Diastolic Blood Pressure ◽

Pressor Response ◽

Sodium Content ◽

Favourable Effect ◽

Baseline Blood Pressure ◽

High Potassium ◽

Salt Restriction ◽

Borderline Hypertension ◽

Potassium Intake

1. Twenty young subjects with borderline hypertension were studied to evaluate the effects of moderate salt restriction and/or of a high potassium intake on intralymphocytic sodium content and blood pressure. Blood pressure was measured after 1 min (casual) and after 5 min (baseline) of rest and during handgrip. 2. Moderate sodium restriction (from 170 to 100 mmol of sodium/day) decreased both intralymphocytic sodium content and diastolic blood pressure at rest and during handgrip. During a high potassium diet (130 mmol of potassium/day) both intralymphocytic sodium content and baseline diastolic blood pressure rose significantly whereas casual diastolic blood pressure remained unchanged and pressor response to handgrip was reduced by 50%. 3. The increase in intralymphocytic sodium content induced by the high potassium diet was dose-dependent. A daily dose of 0.8 mmol of potassium/kg body weight produced the maximal protective effect on blood pressure during exercise with minimal effects on intralymphocytic sodium content and baseline blood pressure. 4. In borderline subjects a low sodium/high potassium diet seems to produce the most favourable effect, since intralymphocytic sodium content and baseline blood pressure remain unchanged whereas the pressor response to handgrip is reduced.

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Effect of Moderate Salt Restriction and High Potassium Intake on Pressor Hormones, Response to Noradrenaline and Baroreceptor Function in Man

Clinical Science ◽

10.1042/cs059157s ◽

1980 ◽

Vol 59 (s6) ◽

pp. 157s-160s ◽

Cited By ~ 28

Author(s):

F. Skrabal ◽

J. Aubouck ◽

H. Hourtnagl ◽

H. Braunsteiner

Keyword(s):

Blood Pressure ◽

Heart Rate ◽

Mental Stress ◽

Plasma Noradrenaline ◽

High Potassium ◽

Salt Restriction ◽

Baroreceptor Function ◽

Noradrenaline Infusion ◽

Potassium Intake ◽

Low Sodium

1. Twenty-one normotensive subjects were studied to assess any possible benefits of moderate salt restriction and of high potassium intake in the prevention of hypertension in man. 2. The effects of salt reduction from 200 to 50 mmol/day and/or of an increase of potassium intake from 80 to 200 mmol/day over a 2 week period, on blood pressure, plasma noradrenaline, adrenaline, vasopressin, renin and aldosterone, were measured both at rest and after mental stress. The effects of graded infusion of noradrenaline on blood pressure and heart rate were also studied. 3. Salt restriction lessened the increase of blood pressure during noradrenaline infusion; the combination with high potassium intake also reduced the pressure rise after mental stress. There were no major changes in plasma levels of vasopressin and adrenaline. Plasma noradrenaline increased during the low sodium diet. 4. High potassium intake improved baroreceptor function as revealed by the greater decrease in heart rate for a given rise in pressure after noradrenaline infusion. 5. The results of this study are compatible with a protective effect of a practicable low sodium/high potassium diet on the development of human hypertension.

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