Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Potassium and calcium intake, excretion, and homeostasis in blacks, and their relation to blood pressure

  • Hypertension
  • Published:
Cardiovascular Drugs and Therapy Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

Blacks in the United States have higher blood pressures than whites. They ingest and excrete less calcium and potassium. There is some evidence that blacks have a difference in vitamin D metabolism that might increase any problem caused by low calcium intake. Some studies can be interpreted to suggest that calcium or potassium therapy has greater hypotensive effects in blacks than in whites. Decreased intake of calcium and potassium may be major causes of the greater prevalence of hypertension in blacks than in whites.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Walker WG, Whelton PK, Saito H, et al. Relationship between blood pressure renin substrate, angiotensin II, aldosterone and urinary sodium and potassium in 574 ambulatory subjects.Hypertension 1979;1:287–291.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Langford HG, Watson RL. Electrolyte and hypertension. In: Paul O, ed.Epidemiology and control of hypertension. New York: Stratton Intercontinental Medical Books, 1975:119–130.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Intersalt: An international study of electrolyte excretion and blood pressure. Results for 24-hour urinary sodium and potassium excretion.Br Med J 1982;297:319–328.

  4. Dahl LK, Leitt G, Heine M. Influence of dietary potassium and sodium/potassium molar ratios on the development of salt hypertension.J exp Med 1972;136:318–330.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Meneely GR, Lemley, Stone J, Darby WJ. Changes in blood pressure and body sodium of rats fed sodium and potassium chloride.Am J Cardiol 1961;8:527–532.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Tobian L. High potassium diets markedly protect against stroke deaths and kidney disease in hypertensive rats, an echo from pre-historic days.J Hypertens 1986;4(Suppl): S67-S76.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Matlou CM, Isler CG, Higep A, Milne FJ, Murray GD, Schultz E, Starke IF. Potassium supplementation in blacks with mild to moderate essential hypertension.J Hypertens 1988;4;61–64.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Watson RL, Langford HG, Abernethy J, Barnes TY, Watson MJ. Urlnary electrolytes, body weight and blood pressure: Pooled cross-sectional results among four groups of adolescent females.Hypertension 1980;2(Suppl I):I93-I98.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Grim CE, Luft FC, Miller JZ, et al. Racial differences in blood pressure in Evans County, Georgia: Relationship to sodium and potassium intake and plasma renin activity.J Chronic Dis 1980;33:87–94.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Voers AW, Dalferis ER Jr, Frank GC, Aristimano GG Berenson GS. Relation between ingested potassium and sodium balance in young blacks and whites.Am J Clin Nutr 1983;37:583–594.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Frisancho AR, Leonard WR, Bollotino LA. Blood pressure in blacks and whites and its relationship to dietary sodium and potassium intake.J Chronic Dis 1984;37:515–519.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Cushman W, Langford HG. Randomized controlled trial of potassium chloride versus placebo in mildly hypertensive blacks and whites (abstract).Circulation 1988;78(Suppl II): 370.

    Google Scholar 

  13. Lawton WJ, Ritz AE, Linkey CA. Effects of a low potassium diet on blood pressure, urine calcium and phosphorous (abstract).Circulation 1988;78(Suppl II):570.

    Google Scholar 

  14. Langford HG, Watson RL. A hypothesis about essential hypertension.Trans Am Clin Clim Assoc 1971;83:125–33.

    Google Scholar 

  15. Langford HG, Langford FJP, Tyler M. Dietary profile of sodium, potassium and calcium in U. S. Blacks. In: Hall WD, Saunders E, Shulman NB, eds.Hypertension in blacks. Epidemiology, pathophysiology and treatment. Chicago: Year Book Medical Publishers, 1985:49–57.

    Google Scholar 

  16. Bell N, Greene A, Epstein S, Oexmann MJ, Shaw S, Shary J. Evidence for alteration of the vitamin D endocrine system in blacks.J Clin Invest 1985;76:470–473.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Zemel MB, Gualdoni SM, Sowers JR. Reductions in total and extra-cellular water associated with calcium-induced natriuresis and the antihypertensive effect of calcium in blacks.Am J Hypertens 1988;1:70–72.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Zemel MB, Gualdoni SM, Sowers JR. Sodium excretion and plasma renin activity in normotensive and hypertensive black adults as affected by dietary calcium and sodium.J Hypertens 1988;4(Suppl 6):S343-S345.

    Google Scholar 

  19. Kurtz TW, Morris RC. Dietary chloride as a determinant of “sodium-dependent” hypertension and hypercalciuria. N.I.H. Workshop on Nutrition and Hypertension. Proceedings from a Symposium, Bethesda, MD, March 12–14, 1984, New York: Biomedical Information Corporation, 1984; 137–145.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. The University of Mississipi Medical Center, 2500 North State Street, 39216, Jackson, MS, USA

    Herbert G. Langford MD & Robert L. Watson

Authors
  1. Herbert G. Langford MD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Robert L. Watson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

Supported by NIH, CRC Grant No. 5 MOl-RR02302.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Langford, H.G., Watson, R.L. Potassium and calcium intake, excretion, and homeostasis in blacks, and their relation to blood pressure. Cardiovasc Drug Ther 4 (Suppl 2), 403–406 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02603184

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02603184

Key Words

Search

Navigation