Elemental analysis of blood of Nigerian hypertensive subjects

Proton-induced X-ray emission (PIXE) has been used to obtain the concentrat ions of 11 elements (P, S, Cl, K, Ca, Fe, Cu, Zn, Br, Rb, and Cd) in whole- blood samples of 16 hypertensive subjects (mean age: 52.5 +/- 0.5 yr) and 1 8 age-matched controls (mean age: 51.5 +/- 0.5 yr) in a Nigerian population . The results of the study indicate that the hypertensive subjects have sig nificantly higher mean concentration of Cl, Cd, Cu, and Zn when compared wi th the controls, and the mean concentration of P, K, and Ca was found to be significantly lower in the hypertensive group in comparison to the control s. Furthermore, the Zn : Cd ratio was found to be significantly higher in t he controls than in the hypertensives, and the Cu : Zn ratio was significan tly higher in the hypertensives.