Can water help patients with multiple system atrophy?
For many years, medical textbooks have been very clear that sodium rather than water is the primary dietary determinant of blood pressure control. But are they right? When multiple system atrophy patients began describing improved functional capacity with orthostatic intolerance following water ingestion, they were initially met with skepticism. However, in a series of investigations during the past two years, Vanderbilt investigation have documented not only that the drinking of water can raise blood pressure, but that it often raises it more than any currently used drug. On the average, 16 oz. of tap water raised blood pressure about 40 mmHg, with a peak effect about a half hour after drinking. The magnitude of this effect was very surprising and encouraged subsequent studies in healthy young and healthy elderly volunteer subjects. Although water had little effect on blood pressure in young normal subjects, there was a 12 mmHg increase in blood pressure in older subjects, indicating
