title: The relationship between magnesium, calcium, sodium, potassium and blood pressure in South African adult males.
abstract: The interaction between magnesium, calcium, sodium, potassium and blood pressure (BP) was assessed in three urban male groups (n = 463). Each group was at a different phase of urbanisation. 27% of black labourers (n = 296), 37% of city blacks (n = 94) and 14% of "coloureds' (mixed race;n = 73) were hypertensive. In the black labourers, serum Mg, K, Ca and erythrocyte Mg were inversely related to BP. Of all the cations, Mg correlated most closely with BP. In the coloured group, there was a weak inverse relationship between serum magnesium and BP. There were no biochemical abnormalities in the city blacks. During urbanisation or in the early phases of hypertension changes occur in blood cation levels. Mg and its interactions with Ca, Na and K may, in certain individuals, play an important role in the pathogenesis of hypertension.
authors: Department of Medicine, University of the Witwatersrand, Medical School, Johannesburg, South Africa.
authors: R M
authors: RM
authors: Touyz
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Rathakrishnan
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Adam
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Sonnekus
authors: S G
authors: SG
authors: Reinach
authors: F J
authors: FJ
authors: Milne
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D044383:Black People; D001794:Blood Pressure; D002118:Calcium / Q000097:blood; D004573:Electrolytes / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008274:Magnesium / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011188:Potassium / Q000097:blood; D012964:Sodium / Q000097:blood; D013019:South Africa; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D004573:Electrolytes; D012964:Sodium; D008274:Magnesium; D011188:Potassium; D002118:Calcium