ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The lack of significant correlation between sodium consumption and blood pressure in a population has tentatively been explained by individual differences in salt sensitivity. Previously we have shown that one-third of essential hypertensived patients respond to a salt load of 9 g daily for 5 days with an increase of 10% or more in 24 h ambulatory blood pressure. The present study was undertaken to examine the response to salt loading in healthy normotensive people. RESULTS:Only one out of 17 volunteers (6%) with a mean age of 24 years and mean ambulatory blood pressure of 136/70 mmHg had an increase in mean ambulatory blood pressure of at least 10% during salt loading. On average, blood pressure did not differ during periods of normal (150 mmol/24 h), low (120 mmol/24 h) or high (268 mmol/24 h) sodium excretion, respectively. CONCLUSION: Normotensive people tolerate short-term salt loading without significant changes in 24 h ambulatory blood pressure.
