Spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) showed a mild deviation of glucose metabolism, as detected by glucose tolerance test (GTT).The morphological changes in the pancreatic islets of SHR may possibly be related to the hormonal alteration in genetic hypertension.In light of these experimental results GTT was applied for study in the following 3 groups of humans : the normotensives with or without a family history of cerebral stroke (5 each) and 5 hypertensives with no apparent secondary cause.
Higher serum glucose and insulin levels were obtained et 1 hour of GTT both in the hypertensives and the normotensives with a family history of cerebral stroke.
Serum lipid levels were altered by glucose administration, particularly serum cholesterol level was decreased by about 10 mg/dl at 1 hour after glucose administration both in rats and humans, with or without hypertension.
The slight intolerance detected by GTT in genetic hypertension both in rats and humans may be used as a parameter in the detection of genetic predisposition to hypertension or cerebral stroke.