Hipertensión arterial: ingesta de sal y mecanismos de patogénesis. Una revisión

Hypertension is one of the main morbidity and mortality factors, being the main risk factor for cardiovascular, cerebrovascular and kidney diseases worldwide. Various causes may participate in it: high intake of sodium chloride, genetic aspects, age, sex, obesity, stress, reduction of nephron mass, hormonal factors and immune system participation, among others, that produce an increase in cardiac output and in peripheral resistance, producing a rise in blood pressure above the values considered as reference. The central element of our review is the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, which has an abnormal action in hypertension, is not inhibited by the pressure increase in the juxtaglomerular apparatus; this leads to a decrease in the capacity of renal sodium excretion and deviates the pressure-natriuresis curve to the right in hypertensive patients. The aim of this review is to highlight the link between physiological aspects, salt intake, and the main pathogenic mechanisms in the development of hypertension.