Salt-sensitivity and other predictors of stress-related cardiovascular reactivity in healthy young males.

Individuals whose mean arterial blood pressure is depending on oral salt intake are considered salt-sensitive and are at risk of developing essential hypertension. This study investigates the role of salt-sensitivity with respect to systolic blood pressure reactions under standardized mental stress. Forty-three healthy young males, previously characterized as salt-sensitive (n=16) or salt-resistant (n=27) by a dietary regimen, were subjected to multimodal physiological measurement during a computerized stress test and underwent comprehensive psychometrical testing. The most important predictors for systolic blood pressure reactions to stress were the degree of salt-sensitivity, body mass index and psychological characteristics like anxiety. The highest correlations with the degree of salt-sensitivity were found for the parameters age, systolic blood pressure reaction under stress, high frequency band of heart rate variability and two psychological variables. The concept of salt-sensitivity is a novel biological component that might contribute to reactivity research in subjects at high risk for essential hypertension.