This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Permissions Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by ADLIN, E. V. Articles by MARKS, A. D. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by ADLIN, E. V. Articles by MARKS, A. D.

(Circulation. 1969;39:685.)
© 1969 American Heart Association, Inc.

---

Salivary Sodium-Potassium Ratio and Plasma Renin Activity in Hypertension

E. VICTOR ADLIN M.D.¹; BERTRAM J. CHANNICK M.D.¹; ALLAN D. MARKS M.D.¹

¹ From the Section of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, Temple University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The cause of the suppression of plasma renin activity (PRA) in many patients with essential hypertension and normal aldosterone excretion is unknown. Since mineralocorticoid excess can lower PRA, we attempted to evaluate the activity of salt-retaining hormones in these patients by measuring the salivary Na/K ratio. The median Na/K ratio in 20 hypertensive patients with suppressed PRA and normal or low aldosterone excretion was 0.71. This was significantly lower than the median of 1.38 in 29 normal subjects and the median of 1.05 in 15 hypertensive patients with normal PRA.

Excess dietary intake of salt is a possible cause of PRA suppression in these patients, but our findings indicate that high rather than low Na/K ratios would be expected if this were present. On the other hand, both the salivary electrolyte changes and the suppression of PRA are consistent with the hypothesis that mineralocorticoid excess is present in these patients, despite the failure to demonstrate elevated excretion of aldosterone.

Key Words: Aldosterone • Urinary sodium and potassium • Mineralocorticoid excess • Plasma potassium • Adrenal adenoma • Excess dietary salt

This article has been cited by other articles:

				E. V. Adlin, A. D. Marks, and B. J. Channick Racial Difference in Salivary Sodium-Potassium Ratio in Low Renin Essential Hypertension Arch Intern Med, April 1, 1982; 142(4): 703 - 706. [Abstract] [PDF]

				S. C. Gulati, B. J. Channick, E. V. Adlin, C. M. Biddle, and A. D. Marks Low-Renin Hypertension: Occurrence in Vascular Complications Arch Intern Med, February 1, 1975; 135(2): 260 - 263. [Abstract] [PDF]

				J. G. Douglas, J. W. Hollifield, and G. W. Liddle Treatment of Low-Renin Essential Hypertension: Comparison of Spironolactone and a Hydrochlorothiazide-Triamterene Combination JAMA, February 4, 1974; 227(5): 518 - 521. [Abstract] [PDF]

				E. V. Adlin, A. D. Marks, and B. J. Channick Spironolactone and Hydrochlorothiazide in Essential Hypertension: Blood Pressure Response and Plasma Renin Activity Arch Intern Med, December 1, 1972; 130(6): 855 - 858. [Abstract] [PDF]

				S. Wotman, L. Baer, I. D. Mandel, and J. H. Laragh Submaxillary Potassium Concentration in True and Pseudoprimary Aldosteronism Arch Intern Med, August 1, 1970; 126(2): 248 - 251. [Abstract] [PDF]