Analysis of sympathetic nerve activity by power spectrum of arterial pressure fluctuations: effects of salt-induced hypertension and calcium supplementation in rats

In salt-loaded or calcium supplied young spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR), the power spectrum of arterial blood pressure (ABP) was determined in the anesthetized state by forward and backward autoregressive (F-B AR) algorithms. The authors found that salt-loading led to sympathetic overactivity, which was prevented by calcium supplementation, and concluded that F-B AR power spectral analysis of ABP fluctuations in SHR was a useful tool to monitor effects of salt-induced hypertension and calcium supplementation.