An unusual case of hypertension: take it with less than a grain of salt – a case report

Abstract

The Yanomamo Indians live in the tropical equatorial rain forests of northern Brazil and southern Venezuela. They essentially eat a salt free diet. As such, they have been demonstrated to have minimal 24 h urine sodium excretion, markedly elevated serum renin and aldosterone levels, and low to normal blood pressure (BP) throughout their lives. We present an unusual case of a 75-year-old woman, with chronic kidney disease (CKD), stage 1 hypertension (HTN), and a partial colectomy who maintained a strict low salt diet while using a significant amount of a stimulant laxative (bisacodyl) on a daily basis.