Effect of chronic elevation of plasma calcium concentration by PTH or vitamin D3on blood pressure and hypotensive activity of nifedipine in rats

The influence of a chronically elevated total plasma calcium concentration on blood pressure and heart rate was investigated in conscious normotensive rats. The plasma calcium concentration was elevated by continuous subcutaneous infusion with parathormone (PTH) after parathyreoidectomy, and by oral treatment with vitamin D3. In both groups an elevated blood pressure was observed at the 1st day of treatment only. Blood pressure was returned to pretreatment values from the second day of treatments onwards. No significant changes in heart rate, due to hypercalcaemia, were observed. In hypercalcaemic rats, the calcium entry inhibitor nifedipine proved more potent in reducing blood pressure than in normocalcaemic control animals. Hydralazine was equipotent in reducing blood pressure in both groups. It is suggested, that the vasoconstrictor effects of a chronically elevated total plasma calcium concentration in conscious rats does not obviously result in a chronically elevated blood pressure, but rather in an enhanced sensitivity of the blood pressure towards calcium entry blockade