Microviscosity of erythrocyte membrane in hypertensive patients.

Twenty eight ambulatory patients (16 men and 12 women), suffering from essential hyperten sion, whose ages averaged 46.9 ± 9.6 years, were studied; the patients presented blood pressure values of 174.0 ± 22.7 mmHg systolic and 110.5 ± 11.7 mmHg diastolic. It was detected a signifi cant rise of erythrocyte membrane microviscosity (p < 0.01) and a significant decrease of eryth rocyte filtrability (p < 0.001). However, no significant correlation was observed between these two parameters. The results obtained suggest that essential hypertension induces or may be asso ciated to intrinsic abnormalities of erythrocyte membrane eventually acting on globular flexibi lity.