title: Reducing salt intake for prevention of cardiovascular disease--times are changing.
abstract: The evidence relating blood pressure to salt intake in humans originates from population studies and randomized clinical trials of interventions on dietary salt intake. Estimates from meta-analyses of trials in normotensive subjects generally are similar to estimates derived from prospective population studies (+1.7 mm Hg increase in systolic blood pressure per 100-mmol increment in 24-hour urinary sodium). This estimate, however, does not translate into an increased risk of incident hypertension in subjects consuming a high salt diet. Prospective studies relating health outcomes to 24-hour urinary sodium excretion produced inconsistent results. Taken together, available evidence does not support the current recommendations of a generalized and indiscriminate reduction of salt intake at the population level, although the blood pressure-lowering effect of dietary sodium restriction might be of value in hypertensive patients.
authors.affiliation: First Department of Cardiology, Interventional Electrocardiology and Hypertension, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kraków, Poland; Studies Coordinating Centre, Division of Hypertension and Cardiovascular Rehabilitation, Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; and Department of Epidemiology, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Katarzyna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Stolarz-Skrzypek
authors.affiliation: First Department of Cardiology, Interventional Electrocardiology and Hypertension, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kraków, Poland; Studies Coordinating Centre, Division of Hypertension and Cardiovascular Rehabilitation, Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; and Department of Epidemiology, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands. Electronic address: jan.staessen@med.kuleuven.be.
authors.forename: Jan A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Staessen
mesh_terms: D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D004039:Diet, Sodium-Restricted / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D007668:Kidney / Q000502:physiology*; D007671:Kidney Concentrating Ability; D064167:Recommended Dietary Allowances / Q000639:trends; D017673:Sodium Chloride, Dietary / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D017673:Sodium Chloride, Dietary
keywords: Blood pressure; Cardiovascular mortality; Cardiovascular outcomes; Salt; Sodium