Taste sensitivity for sodium chloride in hypotensive, normotensive and hypertensive subjects.

The taste sensitivity for sodium chloride was examined in 103 normotensive, 55 hypertensive and 36 hypotensive subjects. The examination was performed on five areas of the tongue using four different concentrated NaCl solutions (2.5, 5.0, 7.5 and 15%). The results indicate that hypotensive subjects show a much higher salt sensitivity compared to normotensive or hypertensive subjects. The enhanced sensitivity of hypotensives to sodium chloride may reflect a regulatory factor tending to normalize blood pressure. In contrast, the lower sensitivity of hypertensives points to a salt dependency of high blood pressure in these patients.