Serum Electrolytes and Calcium Status In Nigerian Patients with Essential Hypertension

Serum electrolytes and calcium levels (mmol/L) were investigated in Nigerian patients with essential hypertension. The N2+ and Cl- levels were within the normal ranges and no significant differences were observed between the control subjects and hypertensive patients. No significant difference was observed for serum Ca++ level also between the two groups of subjects. Mean serum K+ level was significantly higher in patients compared to controls (5.4±0.8, 4.5±0.5, p<0.01), but it was not much different from the upper limit of the normal value for this population (5.0 mmol/L). The mean value of serum Mg++ level for the hypertensives was higher than that of the control subjects (0.84±0.04, 0.76±0.09, p<0.01). However, the mean levels of Mg++ in both the groups of subjects were within the normal range. These observations suggest that subclinical renal defects in handling K+ and Mg++ may exist in these patients with essential hypertension.