Hippokratia 2003, 7(4):159-167
K Charalabopoulos
Abstract
The aim of the present review article is to present a global view on perturbations of blood cells membranes which are observed in human essential hypertension.Especially, we are focused on erythrocytes and leukocytes sodium content, since the hypothesis that an increase in cell sodium is regarded to be a leading event in the hypertension process. Of course, essential hypertension is a multifactorial disease and exist several possible confounding factors that could be present in hypertensive patients affecting the erythrocyte and leukocyte sodium content. The major role of sodium pump in controlling the concentration of intracellular sodium,passive sodium permeability, sodium-potassium-chloride cotransport, sodium-hydrogene exchange, as well as some points on sodium intake, are also discussed.