title: Impact of light salt substitution for regular salt on blood pressure of hypertensive patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Studies have shown sodium restriction to have a beneficial effect on blood pressure (BP) of hypertensive patients.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the impact of light salt substitution for regular salt on BP of hypertensive patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Uncontrolled hypertensive patients of both sexes, 20 to 65 years-old, on stable doses of antihypertensive drugs were randomized into Intervention Group (IG - receiving light salt) and Control Group (CG - receiving regular salt). Systolic BP (SBP) and diastolic BP (DBP) were analyzed by using casual BP measurements and Home Blood Pressure Monitoring (HBPM), and sodium and potassium excretion was assessed on 24-hour urine samples. The patients received 3 g of salt for daily consumption for 4 weeks.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study evaluated 35 patients (65.7% women), 19 allocated to the IG and 16 to the CG. The mean age was 55.5 ± 7.4 years. Most participants had completed the Brazilian middle school (up to the 8th grade; n = 28; 80.0%), had a family income of up to US$ 600 (n = 17; 48.6%) and practiced regular physical activity (n = 19; 54.3%). Two patients (5.7%) were smokers and 40.0% consumed alcohol regularly (n = 14). The IG showed a significant reduction in both SBP and DBP on the casual measurements and HBPM (p < 0.05) and in sodium excretion (p = 0.016). The CG showed a significant reduction only in casual SBP (p = 0.032).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The light salt substitution for regular salt significantly reduced BP of hypertensive patients.
authors.affiliation: Liga de Hipertensão Arterial, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia, Goiás, Brazil.
authors.forename: Carolina Lôbo de Almeida
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Barros
authors.affiliation: Liga de Hipertensão Arterial, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia, Goiás, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ana Luiza Lima
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Sousa
authors.affiliation: Liga de Hipertensão Arterial, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia, Goiás, Brazil.
authors.forename: Brunella Mendonça
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Chinem
authors.affiliation: Liga de Hipertensão Arterial, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia, Goiás, Brazil.
authors.forename: Rafaela Bernardes
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Rodrigues
authors.affiliation: Liga de Hipertensão Arterial, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia, Goiás, Brazil.
authors.forename: Thiago Souza Veiga
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Jardim
authors.affiliation: Liga de Hipertensão Arterial, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia, Goiás, Brazil.
authors.forename: Sérgio Baiocchi
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Carneiro
authors.affiliation: Liga de Hipertensão Arterial, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia, Goiás, Brazil.
authors.forename: Weimar Kunz Sebba Barroso de
authors.initials: WK
authors.lastname: Souza
authors.affiliation: Liga de Hipertensão Arterial, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia, Goiás, Brazil.
authors.forename: Paulo César Brandão Veiga
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Jardim
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D018660:Blood Pressure Monitoring, Ambulatory; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000652:urine; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011188:Potassium / Q000652:urine; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D012964:Sodium / Q000652:urine; D017673:Sodium Chloride, Dietary; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D017673:Sodium Chloride, Dietary; D012964:Sodium; D011188:Potassium