Population study of blood pressure and associated factors in St Lucia, West Indies.

A population survey of blood pressure in St Lucia, West Indies has confirmed that high blood pressure constitutes an important public health problem. In common with other studies blood pressure was found to be significantly correlated with body weight, possibly by a primary effect on diastolic pressure. Blood pressure was also significantly correlated with casual urinary sodium/potassium and potassium/creatinine ratios in those under 45 years of age. This unexpected finding suggests that casual urinary electrolyte estimations may in some circumstances be a useful guide to intake, perhaps especially in populations with more stable intakes. An independent role of potassium in the aetiology of high blood pressure would have important public health implications.