ASSESSMENT OF RISK OF HYPERTENSION AND METHODS BASED THEREON

摘要

Provided is a method of analysing whether the blood pressure of a subject is sensitive to sodium intake and/or of assessing the susceptibility of a subject to develop hypertension. In the method erythrocytes of the subject are suspended in two sodium chloride solutions of about physiological osmolality. The sodium chloride concentration of one of the two solutions is at least about 25 mM lower than in the other solution. After allowing the suspended erythrocytes in the two sodium chloride solutions to settle for a period of time sufficient to allow the formation of a supernatant the difference in height of the supernatant between the two sodium chloride solutions is detected. An increased difference in height of the supernatants, relative to a threshold value, indicates that the subject's blood pressure is sensitive to sodium intake and/or that the subject is susceptible to develop hypertension.