Erythrocyte and plasma Ca2+, Mg2+ and cell membrane adenosine triphosphatase activity in patients with essential hypertension.

This study suggests that patients with essential hypertension have widespread depression of cell membrane Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase and Ca(2+)-ATPase activities with plasma Ca2+ depletion and cytosolic Ca2+ overload, which may reflect an underlying membrane abnormality in essential hypertension. The cellular abnormalities may be related to the defective transport mechanisms that in turn may be aggravated by plasma Ca2+ depletion.