Relative contributions of dietary Na+ and Cl- to salt-sensitive hypertension

The effect of dietary NaCl on blood pressure has generally been attributed to the sodium ion. However, recent evidence indicates that the anion accompanying sodium plays an important role in determining the magnitude of the blood pressure increase in response to a high dietary intake of NaCl. The purpose of this review is to describe studies of blood pressure responses in several experimental models of salt-sensitive hypertension and in hypertensive humans to selective dietary sodium loading (without chloride) and to selective dietary chloride loading (without sodium). The full expression of salt sensitivity depends on high dietary intakes of both sodium and chloride. This observation has implications for understanding mechanisms contributing to NaCl-induced hypertension in the susceptible host.