Serum sodium and potassium levels in newly diagnosed essential hypertensive patients in Government Dharmapuri Medical College, Dharmapuri

Introduction: Hypertension is one of the leading causes of death and disability among adults all over the world. It remains the major risk factor for coronary, cerebral and peripheral vascular disease. Essential hypertension comprises more than 90% of hypertension. Hypertension is an emerging health problem in India. When majority of people come to know that they have hypertension they have already advanced into a stage with target organ damage – a fatal stroke or myocardial infarction or irreversible renal failure. Unfortunately even in developed countries like United States, fifty million people are found to have hypertension. Of these, 70% are aware of their diagnosis, but only 50% are receiving treatment and only 25% are under control. Aim of the Study: To study the levels of sodium and potassium in patients with primary hypertension. To correlate the sodium and potassium levels with blood pressure. Materials and methods: Seventy newly diagnosed essential hypertensive patients attending the medicine OPD or admitted to the medical wards of Govt. Dharmapuri Medical College Hospital, Dharmapuri for the period of one year from June 2016 to May 2017 formed the study group. Thirty healthy people were kept as controls. This control group comprised of normotensive individuals who were attendants of patients with primary hypertension living in the same environment other than their own siblings. Results: The mean systolic and diastolic blood pressure distribution for the males was 172.63 ± 16.71 mm Hg and 103.42 ± 7.08 mm Hg respectively. Similarly for the females the mean systolic and diastolic blood pressure distribution was 171.56 ± 13.22 mm Hg and 103.13 ± 4.71 mm Hg respectively. There was no statistical significance in the systolic and diastolic blood pressure among the cases. Conclusion: Serum sodium was significantly more among hypertensives and it was independent of associated risk factors and gender. Serum sodium level was also correlated positively with the level of blood pressure. Serum potassium was significantly less among hypertensive and it correlated negatively with blood pressure.