title: [Hypertension and salt intake in an urban population].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the salt intake and urinary Na+/K+ ratio in a randomized sample from an ethnically mixed urban population.
  
  
  METHODS
  A randomized residential sample of 2,268 individuals aged 25-64 in Vit ria, ES, was selected, of whom 1,663 (73.3%) reported to the hospital for standardized tests. Salt, Na+ and K+ intake was estimated from 12-hour urine excretion (7 p.m. to 7 a.m.) and from the monthly salt consumption at home reported in the interview. Clinic arterial pressure was measured twice under standard conditions by two trained investigators, using mercury sphygmomanometry. The Student t and Tukey tests were utilized for statistical analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Urinary Na+ excretion was higher in men and individuals of lower socioeconomic level (P<0.000). No difference between ethnic groups was observed. K+ excretion was unrelated to socioeconomic level and ethnicity, but was significantly higher among men (25 18 vs. 22 18 mEq/12h; P=0.002). Positive linear correlation was observed between urinary Na+ excretion and systolic (r=0.15) and diastolic (r=0.19) arterial pressure. Hypertensive individuals showed higher urinary Na+ excretion and Na+/K+ ratio than normotensive individuals. Reported salt intake was around 50% of the intake estimated from 12-hour urine collection (around 45% of 24-hour urinary excretion).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Salt intake is strongly influenced by socioeconomic level and may partially explain the higher prevalence of hypertension in lower socioeconomic classes.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Enfermagem, Centro Biomédico, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Vitória, ES, Brasil. mdcarmen@escelsa.com.br
authors.forename: Maria del Carmen
authors.initials: Mdel C
authors.lastname: Bisi Molina
authors.forename: Roberto de Sá
authors.initials: Rde S
authors.lastname: Cunha
authors.forename: Luis Fernando
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Herkenhoff
authors.forename: José Geraldo
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Mill
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011188:Potassium / Q000652:urine; D015995:Prevalence; D011897:Random Allocation; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D012964:Sodium / Q000652:urine; D017673:Sodium Chloride, Dietary / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014505:Urban Population
chemical_list: D017673:Sodium Chloride, Dietary; D012964:Sodium; D011188:Potassium