Effects of Salt Intake on the Nervous Systems of Patients With Salt-Sensitive High Blood Pressure

The Function of Dopaminergic and Noradrenergic Systems in Salt-Sensitive Hypertension: The Effects of Changes in Sodium Intake

Some patients with high blood pressure can experience an increase of blood pressure by 10 percent or more by taking in salt. These patients are referred to as having "salt-sensitive" (SS) hypertension.

Previous studies conducted on patients with salt sensitive hypertension suggest that their portion of the nervous system responsible for maintaining normal blood pressure (autonomic nervous system) may respond differently to salt than patients with non-salt sensitive (NSS) hypertension.

This study is designed to examine the response of the nervous system to high doses of salt in patients with salt-sensitive hypertension and patients with non-salt sensitive hypertension.

A subset of patients with idiopathic hypertension shows an increase in blood pressure of 10 percent or more in response to salt-loading and have been termed "salt-sensitive" (SS). Limited studies of adrenergic function in response to salt-loading suggest that the response of SS patients may differ from that of non-salt sensitive (NSS) patients. The present studies were designed to examine the response of the adrenergic and dopaminergic systems to salt-loading in SS and NSS patients with idiopathic hypertension.

Eligibility criteria not identified in protocol.