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Salty Subjects: Unpacking Racial Differences in Salt-Sensitive Hypertension

  • Inflammation and Cardiovascular Diseases (A Kirabo, Section Editor)
  • Published:
Current Hypertension Reports Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose of Review

To review underlying mechanisms and environmental factors that may influence racial disparities in the development of salt-sensitive blood pressure.

Recent Findings

Our group and others have observed racial differences in diet and hydration, which may influence salt sensitivity. Dietary salt elicits negative alterations to the gut microbiota and immune system, which may increase hypertension risk, but little is known regarding potential racial differences in these physiological responses. Antioxidant supplementation and exercise offset vascular dysfunction following dietary salt, including in Black adults. Furthermore, recent work proposes the role of racial differences in exposure to social determinants of health, and differences in health behaviors that may influence risk of salt sensitivity.

Summary

Physiological and environmental factors contribute to the mechanisms that manifest in racial differences in salt-sensitive blood pressure. Using this information, additional work is needed to develop strategies that can attenuate racial disparities in salt-sensitive blood pressure.

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Abbreviations

ARIC:

Atherosclerosis risk in communities

BP:

Blood pressure

CV:

Cardiovascular

CRP:

C-reactive protein

DASH:

Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension

ENaC:

Epithelial sodium channel

H2O2 :

Hydrogen peroxide

HUVECs:

Human umbilical vein endothelial cells

IL-6:

Interleukin-6

META-Health:

Morehouse and Emory Team up to Eliminate Health Disparities

MESA:

Multi-ethnic study of atherosclerosis

NADPH:

Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate

NHANES:

National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

NGAL:

Neutrophil gelatinase–associated lipocalin

NO:

Nitric oxide

ONOO– :

Peroxynitrate

O2 − :

Superoxide

RAAS:

Renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system

REGARDS:

Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke

ROS:

Reactive oxygen species

SDoH:

Social determinants of health

SCFA:

Short-chain fatty acid

SGK1:

Serum and glucocorticoid-regulated kinase 1

SOD:

Superoxide dismutase

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Acknowledgements

We made our figures using canva.com and biorender.com. We have a biorender license and obtained permissions for the figures.

Funding

This work was supported by National Institutes of Health (NIH) grants K01HL147998 and R15HL165325 (to ATR), UL1TR003096 (pilot funding to ATR and TL-1 Fellowship to SJ).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Neurovascular Physiology Laboratory (NVPL), School of Kinesiology, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, 36849, USA

    Soolim Jeong & Austin T. Robinson

  2. Department of Health & Human Performance, Texas State University, San Marcos, TX, 78666, USA

    Stacy D. Hunter

  3. Department of Kinesiology, North Carolina Agriculture and Technology State University, Greensboro, NC, 27411, USA

    Marc D. Cook

  4. Biodynamics and Human Performance Center, Georgia Southern University (Armstrong Campus), Savannah, GA, 31419, USA

    Gregory J. Grosicki

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  1. Soolim Jeong
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  4. Gregory J. Grosicki
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  5. Austin T. Robinson
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Contributions

SJ and ATR wrote the main manuscript. SJ and ATR prepared the manuscript figures and the table. SJ, SDH, MDC, GJG, and ATR all edited the manuscript. All authors reviewed and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Austin T. Robinson.

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Jeong, S., Hunter, S.D., Cook, M.D. et al. Salty Subjects: Unpacking Racial Differences in Salt-Sensitive Hypertension. Curr Hypertens Rep 26, 43–58 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11906-023-01275-z

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