Value of Liquid Potassium Magnesium Citrate in Controlling Hypertension
Value of Liquid Potassium Magnesium Citrate in Controlling Hypertension
Liquid potassium-magnesium citrate (KMgCit) as a pharmaceutical formulation will lower blood
 pressure among patients with pre- or Stage I hypertension on their customary diet.
In this protocol, the investigators want to explore whether KMgCit taken during a customary
 dietary setting, might serve as a "surrogate" for the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension
 (DASH) diet to lower blood pressure. This study has obvious biomedical importance. Lifestyle
 modifications are often recommended for pre- or Stage I hypertension. The DASH diet is such a
 modification that has been shown to be effective. However, this diet is costly and difficult
 to adhere to long-term. If KMgCit were shown to be effective in lowering blood pressure, it
 would provide a safe and convenient alternative to the DASH diet.
Inclusion Criteria:

 -  Men or women > 21 years of age

 -  Any Race/Ethnicity

 -  Pre- or Stage I hypertension (BP >= 120/80 and <= 159/99)

 Exclusion Criteria:

 -  Diabetes mellitus

 -  Renal impairment (serum creatinine > 1.4 mg/dL)

 -  Any heart diseases such as congestive heart failure or sustained arrhythmia

 -  Chronic NSAID use

 -  Treatment with diuretics

 -  Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) requiring treatment with acid reducing agents
 or antacid more than once a week

 -  Esophageal-gastric ulcer

 -  Chronic diarrhea

 -  Hyperkalemia (serum > 4.6 meq/L for patients on angiotension-converting-enzyme (ACE)
 inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), serum K > 5.0 meq/L for patient
 not on ACE inhibitors or ARBs)

 -  Abnormal liver function test (aspartate transaminase (AST) or alanine transaminase
 (ALT) above upper limit of normal range)

 -  Subjects who require any potassium supplement on a regular basis from any reasons

 -  Pregnancy

 -  History of major depression, bipolar disorder, or schizophrenia