Electrolyte intake and excretion and blood pressure in young students with and without family history of hypertension.

Blood pressure and sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium intake and excretion were investigated in 2 groups of young students, 1 with and 1 without a family history of hypertension. No differences in systolic or diastolic blood pressure were found between the two groups. Mean potassium excretion of male offsprings of hypertensive parents was 26% higher (p less than 0.05) than the mean potassium excretion of male controls. Sodium-potassium ratio was lower (1.7) in male offsprings of hypertensive patients than in male controls (2.3). There were no significant differences in intake or excretion of other electrolytes between controls and offsprings of hypertensive parents.