Abstract

Author(s): Dueñas Ricaurte, Juan1; Ordoñez Araque, Roberto2,3; Suarez Varela, María Morales1

Introduction: The risk of having heart related diseases, as well as blood vessels located in the brain and kidneys, increases when the person is hypertensive. This pathology requires additional studies for a better understanding and control of its incidence on health.

Objective: To evaluate levels of zinc (Zn) in urine and plasma of a representative sample of the population of Valladolid, Spain, in search of alterations of the metabolism of this essential metal caused by hypertension.

Method. 1502 serum and urine samples were collected to assess their zinc level in hypertensive and non-hypertensive people varying several characteristics in the population of Valladolid. The concentration of Zn was determined with the technique of mass spectrometry with inductively coupled plasma (ICP-MS).

Results. The mean Zn concentration in all biological serum samples was higher and less eliminated in the urine in nonhypertensive patients than hypertensive, untreated and hypertensive patients without treatment without renal damage with 12.83 µmol/L for serum and 2.83 µmol/g creatinine in urine, among the uncontrolled treated hypertensive patients a higher concentration of serum Zn was shown with 12.69 µmol/L and 3.18 µmol/g creatinine in urine than with the group of controlled hypertensive patients.

Conclusions. Hypertension alters the distribution of Zn in the body, causing hypertensive individuals to have a lower serum concentration and eliminate more in the urine.