Trace Elements in Serum and Urine From Hypertensive Patients Before and During Treatment With Chlorthalidone

Urinary excretion of antimony, arsenic, bromine, cadmium, caesium, cobalt, copper, gold, iron, mercury, molybdenum, rubidium, scandium, silver, tungsten and zinc from 16 hypertensive patients before and during treatment with chlorthalidone has been investigated. The serum concentration of these elements before and after treatment was determined in 10 of the patients. The method consisted of neutron activation analysis combined with a recently developed ion exchange technique. The serum concentration as well as the urinary excretion of the 17 trace elements investigated in untreated hypertensive patients did not differ significantly from those of normotensive subjects. During treatment with chlorthalidone a raised urinary excretion of bromine, cadmium, cobalt, rubidium and zinc and a decreased urinary excretion of caesium were observed. A significantly decreased serum concentration after 5 days' treatment was only noted for rubidium.