Alterations in Mineral Elements Levels in Hypertensive Subjects in Port Harcourt, Nigeria
Kemzi Nosike Elechi-Amadi *
Department of Clinical Chemistry, Faculty of Medical Laboratory Science, Rivers State University, Port Harcourt, Nigeria.
Ojoye Ngoye Briggs
Department of Clinical Chemistry, Faculty of Medical Laboratory Science, Rivers State University, Port Harcourt, Nigeria.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Hypertension is a medical condition that is characterized by consistently elevated pressure in the blood vessels. This study evaluated some mineral elements among hypertensive subjects in Port Harcourt, Nigeria. Blood samples (10 ml) were obtained from subjects and dispensed into plain bottles and used for the analysis of copper, selenium, iron, boron, manganese (using atomic absorption spectrometry-AAS), and phosphorus and calcium (using colourimetric methods). Data from this study indicated that the level of copper (851.36 ± 90.30 µg/l) in hypertensive subjects was significantly higher than the level of copper (742.05 ± 84.78µg/l) in the control subjects. On the other hand, the levels of selenium (69.58 ± 6.91 µg/l) and iron (1153.87 ± 62.42 µg/l) in the hypertensive subjects were significantly lower than the levels of selenium (77.43 ± 84.78 µg/l) and iron (1242.55 ± 150.56 µg/l) in control subjects. There were no significant differences in the levels of phosphorus, calcium, manganese and boron between the hypertensive subjects and control subjects based on sex and age brackets of the hypertensive subjects. The study has shown that there are alterations in some mineral elements in hypertensive subjects. It is important to incorporate the evaluation of mineral elements in the management of hypertension in our population.
Keywords: Hypertension, mineral elements, selenium, copper, calcium, boron, Port Harcourt