title: Differential associations of dietary sodium and potassium  intake with blood pressure: a focus on pulse pressure.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Dietary sodium and potassium intakes are factors known to influence blood pressure (BP) through different pathways. These mechanisms likely result in differential effects on parameters characterizing BP. The aim of the study was to evaluate relationships between both sodium and potassium intake and all BP parameters--namely systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), pulse pressure (PP) and mean arterial pressure (MAP)--simultaneously in a large general population.
  
  
  METHODS
  The present cross-sectional analysis was performed on 4919 middle-aged men and women, participants in the SU.VI.MAX study. Dietary intake was assessed through at least three 24-h dietary records. SBP and DBP were measured twice at a single visit after 10 min rest and averaged. Analysis of covariance was used to test for difference in BP parameters across tertiles of dietary sodium and potassium intakes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In univariate analysis, increased dietary sodium and potassium intakes were both significantly associated with increased BP parameters (P < 0.0001). After relevant adjustments, sodium intake remained positively associated with PP (P = 0.006), whereas potassium intake became negatively associated with SBP, DBP and MAP (P < or = 0.02) but was not linked to PP (P = 0.56).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The positive association between dietary sodium intake and PP observed in the present study provides further evidence for the current concept linking sodium to rise in BP through modification and stiffening of the arterial wall, whereas negative associations between dietary potassium intake and both SBP and DBP, hence MAP, support the vasodilator properties of this latter nutrient.
authors.affiliation: UMR INSERM U557/INRA U1125/CNAM/Université Paris 13, CRNH-IdF, Bobigny, France.
authors.forename: Jean-François
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Buyck
authors.forename: Jacques
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Blacher
authors.forename: Emmanuelle
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kesse-Guyot
authors.forename: Katia
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Castetbon
authors.forename: Pilar
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Galan
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Safar
authors.forename: Serge
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hercberg
authors.forename: Sébastien
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Czernichow
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D001808:Blood Vessels / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003971:Diastole / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D017419:Potassium, Dietary / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011673:Pulsatile Flow / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D012982:Sodium, Dietary / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D013599:Systole / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D017419:Potassium, Dietary; D012982:Sodium, Dietary