BODY FLUID AND ELECTROLYTE COMPOSITION IN ARTERIAL HYPERTENSION. I. STUDIES IN ESSENTIAL, RENAL AND MALIGNANT HYPERTENSION*

Abstract

In previous studies in this laboratory it was found that the capacity to excrete sodium as indi- cated by the rate of excretion of an intravenously administered sodium load was significantly in- creased in essential and renal hypertension Sodium excretory capacity was reduced by antihypertensive therapy and was correlated sig- nificantly with the level of arterial pressure. How- ever, the absence of a high degree of correlation, together with the ability of dietary sodium intake to influence the renal capacity to excrete sodiun-m, suggested that in addition to an elevated blood pressure other factors such as an increase in body sodium and fluid volume might enhance sodium excretion in hypertensive individuals.