[Relationships among blood pressure, 24-hour urinary electrolyte excretion, and alcohol consumption].

Relationships among blood pressure (BP), 24-hour urinary electrolyte excretion, and alcohol consumption were studied in 104 men and 229 women aged over 30 years living in a rural village in Kyoto, Japan. Twenty four hour urine was collected for two consecutive days to measure Na, K, Ca, Mg, and creatinine (Cr). In men, age, obesity index (OI), Ca/Mg ratio, and (Na.Ca)/(K.Mg) ratio were significantly related to BP. In women, diastolic blood pressure adjusted for age and OI, but not systolic blood pressure correlated with Na/K. Among male daily drinkers, the Ca/Mg ratio and (Na.Ca)/(K.Mg) ratio were significantly increased and K/Cr was significantly decreased. Results of path analysis confirmed the relation of BP to alcohol consumption and suggests that urinary electrolytes change in hypertensive drinkers.