Relationship between chronic lead acetate exposure and hypertension in rat

ABSTRACT

Effects of 28 days lead acetate [100, 500, 1000 ppm] treatment on hypertension and relationship between blood lead levels and hypertension in male Sprague-Dawley rats were studied. Results of this study showed that lead acetate treatment did not decrease body weight or water consumption, except for lead acetate [1000 ppm] and sodium acetate [500 ppm] which increased fluid consumption when compared with controls. The doses of lead acetate [100, 500, 1000ppm] used in this study, caused blood concentrations of 26.84 +/- 2.23, 43.12 +/- 2.40 and 52.8 +/- 3.44 micro g/dl respectively. Treatment of animals with different doses [100, 500, 1000 ppm] of lead acetate for 28 days, caused a significant change [P< 0.05] in systolic blood pressure when compared to control rats. No dose dependent correlation was observed between blood pressure elevation and blood lead levels in treated rats