Cadmium induced hypertension.

The effect of cadmium acetate (0.32, 1.0, 3.2 mg/kg) and (1, 3.2, 10 microg) injected intravenously (i.v.) and intracerebroventricularly (i.c.v.) respectively in urethane anesthetized male Sprague-Dawley (S-D) rats on blood pressure was examined. Cadmium injected (i.v.) produced transient fall in blood pressure followed by persistent rise. Hypertensive response in rats was dose and time dependent on intravenous cadmium administration. Cadmium (i.c.v.) produced statistically significant (p<0.01) hypertensive response at different time intervals as compared to saline treated controls. Repeated administration of cadmium (1 mg/kg i.p. for 5 days) produced increase in blood pressure. In four groups of rats treated with cadmium (1 mg/kg i.p. for 5 days), blood pressure was recorded 2,4,10,15 days after stopping the cadmium treatment. Blood pressure values at 2, 4, 10 days after stopping cadmium treatment were statistically significant (p<0.01). However, in the last group, blood pressure values were not statistically significant. These results show that cadmium exposure by (i.v. and i.c.v.) routes produced hypertensive response in rats. Hypertensive response is observed for the period of 2 weeks time in rats.