Endocrinology, Vol 101, 389-395, Copyright © 1977 by Endocrine Society
Renin and aldosterone in the cardiomyopathic hamster in congestive heart failure
JH Galla, G Schneider, TA Kotchen and JP Hayslett
The renin-aldosterone system was studied in cardiomyopathic hamsters (CMH)
before and after the onset of untreated clinical congestive heart failure.
Age-matched random-bred hamsters (RB) served as controls. Before heart
failure, there were no differences in body weight accretion, sodium
balance, plasma renin activity or in vitro aldosterone production. After
the onset of heart failure in CMH, body weight increased at a greater rate
than in RB and positive sodium balance was nearly twice control levels.
Although plasma renin activity was greater (P less than 0.005) in CMH than
in RB (23.4+/-4.2 (mean+/- SEM) vs. 3.8+/-1.8 ng/ml/h), aldosterone
production (101+/-15 vs. 95+/- 16 ng/h) did not differ. Plasma aldosterone
was low or undetectable in RB and in CMH in heart failure. In response to
angiotensin stimulation, aldosterone production increased in both strains
and did not differ. No difference in muscle potassium content, potassium
balance or excretion was detected. Thus, in CMH, congestive heart failure
is attended by increased plasma renin activity without a significant
increase in aldosterone production, a dissociation which does not appear to
be due to adrenal unresponsiveness to angiotensin II or to potassium
depletion.
