In this study we quantified insulin-mediated glucose uptake in weight-matched (260-330 g) fed (6-8 h fast) and fasted (24 h fast) male rats with spontaneous hypertension (SHR) and control Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats. To accomplish this goal, rats were infused continuously for 165 min with glucose and insulin. Blood was taken at frequent intervals from 120-165 min, and the values averaged to determine the steady-state plasma glucose (SSPG) and insulin (SSPI) concentrations. In some studies epinephrine and propranolol were added to the infusate in order to suppress endogenous insulin secretion. Steady-state plasma insulin (SSPI) concentrations were similar in SHR and WKY during the three infusion studies (382-483 pmol/L). However, SSPG was significantly higher in fed SHR as compared to fed WKY during infusions performed with (9.4 +/- 0.8 vs 7.0 +/- 0.4 mmol/L, p < 0.05) or without (8.6 +/- 0.2 vs 7.0 +/- 0.6 mmol/L, p < 0.05) epinephrine and propranolol in the infusate. In contrast, SSPG concentrations (mmol/L) were similar in SHR (6.8 +/- 0.3) and WKY rats (6.5 +/- 0.6) when they were studied after a 24 h fast. These results demonstrates that differences in insulin-mediated glucose removal from plasma between SHR and WKY rats will vary as a function of nutritional status.