Salt-Sensitivity in Normotensive and Hypertensive Nigerians

Abstract

Background: Salt-sensitivity increases the risk for the development of high blood pressure in susceptible persons and also increases the risk for cardiovascular events and mortality.
Objective: The study is to determine the pattern of saltsensitivity among normotensive and hypertensive Nigerians.
Methods: Twenty-eight (28) hypertensive subjects (HT) and twenty-five (25) age-matched normotensive controls (NT) were given 200mmol/day salt as sodium chloride for 5 days after control parameters had been determined. Subjects were regarded as salt-sensitive when change in mean arterial blood pressure (cMABP) between baseline levels and that after salt loading was >5mmHg.
Results: Systolic blood pressure and mean arterial blood pressure but not diastolic blood pressure rose significantly (p < 0.05 and p <0.001  respectively) in NT subjects while all the parameters showed significant increases in hypertensive subjects (SBP p<0.01; DBP p < 0.001; MABP p < 0.0001). More hypertensive subjects (60.7%) were saltsensitive compared with normotensive (52.0%) subjects (p<0.05).
Conclusion: This study has demonstrated pressor responses to acute salt-loading in normotensive and hypertensive Nigerians and  salt-sensitivity was higher in hypertensive subjects.

Keywords: Salt-loading; Salt-sensitivity; Hypertension