Conditions: Hypertension
Keywords: hypertension hydrochlorothiazide HCTZ Salt sensitivity Hydrochlorothiazide induced hyperglycemia
Allocation: NA | Intervention model: SINGLE_GROUP
Enrollment: 124
Healthy volunteers: yes

Brief summary:
The investigators of this study propose to examine the relationships between STK39 (Serine Threonine Kinase 39) genotypes and responses to salt loading and to thiazide diuretics, hydrochlorothiazide. The investigators hypothesize that STK39 genotypes will be associated with the outcome of both interventions and can contribute to personalized care for hypertension.

Detailed description:
Although hypertension can be easily diagnosed and there are many medications available to treat hypertension, this condition is poorly managed in many patients and is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Because a newly identified hypertension susceptibility gene, STK39 (Serine Threonine Kinase 39), plays a central role in kidney sodium transport, the investigators propose a pharmacogenetics study to examine the relationships between STK39 genotypes and blood pressure responses to salt loading and to thiazide diuretics, hydrochlorothiazide. In addition, STK39 genotypes may also predict those hypertension patients more likely to develop thiazide-induced hyperglycemia. The investigators hypothesize that STK39 genotypes of those single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that are associated with baseline systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and hypertension status, will be associated with the outcome of both interventions. Therefore these SNPs can act as markers and contribute to personalized care for hypertension by identifying patients most likely to effectively control their blood pressure by adopting salt-reducing diet versus patients most likely to effectively and safely control their blood pressure by taking thiazide diuretics.

Arms:
arm 1: Salt loading:2 L of 0.9% NaCl. HCTZ:12.5/ 25 mg of HCTZ for 1 week

Interventions: intervention 1: Salt loading intervention 2: Hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ)
Intervention descriptions: intervention 1: Subjects will arrive at the Amish Research Clinics after overnight fasting. After taking height, weight, BP, and body temperature, subjects will receive 2 liters (L) of 0.9% sodium chloride (NaCl) saline over 4 hours while their blood pressure is monitored every 15 minutes. Blood pressure will be taken every 15 minutes during this procedure. Blood and urine samples will be collected from all subjects pre- and post-infusion. intervention 2: We will perform short-term HCTZ intervention on the same 120 subjects. After overnight fasting and having their height, weight, and BP measured, subjects are given seven 12.5 mg HCTZ tablets and instructed to take 1 tablet daily for one week. Ambulatory blood pressure will be measured and blood and urine will be collected on both day 1 and day 8. After a minimum 6-week wash-out period, the subjects will repeat the 7-day HCTZ intervention, taking 25 mg of HCTZ instead. Subjects with plasma potassium levels below 3.6 mmol/L on day 8 of 12.5 mg HCTZ will be given a daily supplement of 16 milliequivalents of potassium to prevent harmful loss of potassium while taking HCTZ.

Protocol document: