title: 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 salt-sensitivity among normotensive and hypertensive Nigerians.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-eight (28) hypertensive subjects (HT) and twenty-five (25) age-matched normotensive controls (NT) were given 200 mmol/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 > or = 5 mmHg.
  
  
  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 salt-sensitive compared with normotensive (52.0%) subjects (p < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study has demonstrated pressor responses to acute salt-loading in normotensive and hypertensive Nigerians and salt-sensitivity was higher in hypertensive subjects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Lagos State University College of Medicine, Ikeja. simiat.elias@lasunigeria.org
authors.forename: S O
authors.initials: SO
authors.lastname: Elias
authors.forename: E C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Azinge
authors.forename: G A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Umoren
authors.forename: S I
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Jaja
authors.forename: O A
authors.initials: OA
authors.lastname: Sofola
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D044383:Black People; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009549:Nigeria; D012982:Sodium, Dietary / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000652:urine; D013652:Taste Threshold
chemical_list: D012982:Sodium, Dietary