Tests May Help Identify Patients Who Retain Sodium

By getting a second urine sample and blood pressure measure, researchers found that eight out of 19 adolescents visiting a pediatric nephrologist were sodium retainers and seven of these were already hypertensive. The amounts of sodium retained ranged from a few milligrams to hundreds of milligrams over the course of a doctor’s visit. The findings (9/13) were presented at the American Heart Association’s High Blood Pressure Research 2013 Scientific Sessions. Retaining too much sodium increases fluid retention and blood pressure levels. The team is now using the method to try to identify sodium retainers among adults seeing a general internist.