Borderline Hypertension and Sodium Sensitivity

Abstract

The relationship between sodium sensitivity and borderline hypertension was explored in 63 subjects. Thirty percent of those with borderline hypertension and 15% of normal subjects increased mean arterial pressure by more than 5% when daily sodium intake was increased from 10 to 200 mEq. While most displayed an increase in cardiac dimension, stroke volume, and cardiac index, the sodium-sensitive individuals either failed to reduce vascular resistance to the same degree as normal subjects or actually vasoconstricted.