Medicine
Renal Handling of Sodium and Water in Hypertension
Quick fact
A tiny increase in sodium reabsorption—just enough to raise blood sodium by a few milliequivalents—can hold excess water in the body and push blood pressure into the hypertensive range.
Why this is interesting
Your kidneys filter about 150 liters of fluid a day, yet you produce only about 1–2 liters of urine. So what happens to all that water, and why can that hidden process raise your blood pressure?