Chronic (12 weeks) peroral administration of cadmium chloride to albino rats in a dose of 2.5 mg/100 g body weight results in arterial hypertension characterized by the increase in systolic blood pressure up to 148 +/- 1.8 mm Hg (vs. 115.4 +/- 1.5 mm Hg in the control animals); the increase in vascular resistance, left ventricular cardiomyocyte hypertrophy, as well as by hypertrophy of arterial walls, the decrease in the ventricular index, the activation of synthesizing function of atrial endocrine cardiomyocytes; enhanced secretion of ANP; a more than two-fold increase in plasma myoglobin concentration, as well as by the development of cadmium-induced nephropathy. In the rehabilitation period (9 weeks) a relatively quick fall in the blood pressure is observed, as well as morphological features of myocardial and renal function recovery, suggesting the nonpersistent nature of cadmium-induced hypertension.