The mechanism by which chronic, moderate, hypobaric hypoxia attenuates systemic systolic blood pressure (SBP) in the spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) was investigated in a three-part study. In experiment 1, 10 wk of hypoxia (3,658 m altitude) commencing in 7-wk-old rats was partially effective in preventing the rise in SBP [hypoxic SHR (SHR-H) 154 mmHg vs. normoxic SHR (SHR-N) 180 mmHg; P less than 0.01]. When hypoxia was initiated in 5-wk-old SHR (experiments 2 and 3), protection against hypertension was nearly complete (experiment 2: SHR-H 122 mmHg vs. SHR-N 175 mmHg; P less than 0.001; experiment 3: 135 vs. 152 mmHg, respectively; P less than 0.05). Elevations in O2 consumption (VO2) and rectal temperature (Tre) in SHR vs. normotensive [Wistar-Kyoto (WKY)] rats provided evidence that the SHR is a hypermetabolic animal. Thyroid hormonal indices suggested that SHR changed from a low to high thyroid status at a time that rapid blood pressure elevation occurred; however, hypoxia did not influence thyroid status. Acute, significant decrements in VO2 and Tre in SHR-H (experiments 2 and 3) accompanied the attenuation of SBP by hypoxia, whereas large decrements in VO2 and SBP did not occur in hypoxic WKY. Timely administration of moderate hypoxia protects against the development of hypertension in the SHR. This protection may relate to a metabolic adaptation made by the hypoxic SHR.
