Abstract: A method of evaluating salt sensitivity in a hypertensive patient comprises evaluating customary salt intake and deleting from the diet any substance other than salt that might influence blood pressure, feeding the patient a diet without restriction of salt and measuring blood pressure until blood pressure becomes stabilized at the hypertensive level or, if hypertension is not seen, for about 90 days, thereafter restricting the salt intake in the diet, and gradually increasing the salt intake and measuring blood pressure to determine when the blood pressure begins to rise during the period of increasing salt intake to determine salt sensitivity that gives rise to hypertension.