[Value of salt loads in the evaluation of functional status of the kidneys in patients with hypertension].

A 5% NaCl solution (500.0) was administered during 40-50 min to 20 patients with essential hypertension (10 with labile and 10 with stable hypertension) and 10 normal subjects. Total sodiuresis and diuresis values over 5 post-load hours, the timing of their peaks, and the ratio of diuresis/sodiuresis rates (d/s coefficient) were examined. In hypertensive patients, particularly those with stable hypertension, the peak of sodium excretion was displaced towards the beginning of the salt load, yet salty diuresis stopped earlier, and the total five-hour sodium excretion was significantly reduced, as compared to normal subjects. The d/s coefficient showed a less steep decline, and was generally higher, as compared to that of normal subjects at all stages of the study. The findings obtained demonstrate that 5-hour monitoring of the diuresis, sodiuresis and the d/s coefficient following a salt load can detect disorders of renal function.