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(Hypertension. 1999;33:1105-1110.)
© 1999 American Heart Association, Inc.

Scientific Contributions

Effect of Magnesium Deficiency on Blood Pressure and Mechanical Properties of Rat Carotid Artery

Pascal Laurant; Daniel Hayoz; Hans R. Brunner; Alain Berthelot

From the Laboratoire Physiologie, Pharmacologie, et Nutrition Préventive Expérimentale, UFR Médecine et Pharmacie, Université de Franche-Comté, Besançon, France (P.L., A.B.), and the Division of Hypertension, CHUV, Lausanne, Switzerland (D.H., H.R.B.).

Abstract—The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of dietary Mg deficiency (80 mg/kg versus control diet: 960 mg/kg) on blood pressure and mechanical properties of the rat common carotid artery. The internal diameter and intra-arterial pressure of carotid artery were measured continuously with an echo-tracking device. At 19 weeks, systolic, diastolic, and mean blood pressures were higher in Mg-deficient rats. Histological examination showed an increase in cross-sectional area, intima-media thickness, and media-to-lumen ratio in carotid artery of Mg-deficient rats. Mg deficiency did not modify the arterial distensibility–blood pressure curve. At mean blood pressure, arterial distensibility was significantly less in 19-week-old rats than in 5-week-old rats of both control and Mg-deficient groups. A significant interaction between age and Mg-deficient diet on arterial distensibility (P<0.04) indicates an accelerated age-dependent decreased arterial distensibility with Mg deficiency. At 19 weeks, the artery was stiffer in hypertensive Mg-deficient rats, as illustrated by a shift to higher levels of the incremental elastic modulus–stress curve. In conclusion, the increased blood pressure and the vascular morphological alterations observed in Mg-deficient rats may contribute to an accelerated alteration of the wall material, which in turn leads to a stiffening of the carotid artery.

Key Words: ultrasonography • carotid arteries • elastic modulus • calcium • magnesium deficiency

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