Increased salt retention and hypertension from non-steroidal agents in the elderly

We studied blood pressure and natriuretic responses to acute salt loading,and the effect of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents on theseresponses, in five healthy normotensive women aged 65 to 71 years. Fivewomen aged 25 to 31 years acted as controls. Intravenous saline loading,with and without prior ingestion of ibuprofen, was 15 ml/kg/h for 3 h.Baseline blood pressures were higher in the elderly. Saline infusionwithout ibuprofen raised systolic blood pressure (SBP) by about 25 mmHg inthe older group only. Ibuprofen increased baseline SBP in the elderly (129+/- 6 vs. 116 +/- 5 mmHg, p < 0.05). Saline loading after ibuprofenagain raised blood pressure by about 25 mmHg in the elderly only. Theelderly group showed markedly increased sodium excretion during salineloading, but this was reduced by ibuprofen. Ibuprofen had no effect on SBPor sodium excretion in controls. Ageing appears to increase susceptibilityto salt retention and hypertension from non-steroidal anti-inflammatoryagents.