Could Reducing Salt Consumption Prevent Cardiovascular Events?

High salt intake is associated in a dose-dependent manner with high rates of stroke and cardiovascular events.

Current guidelines recommend a daily salt intake of 5 to 6 g or less. However, daily salt consumption exceeds that level in most adult populations and is higher than 12 g in Eastern Europe and Asia.

In a meta-analysis of prospective studies with at least 3 years of follow-up published from 1966 through 2008, investigators assessed the association between salt intake and stroke or cardiovascular events; the analysis included 19 independent cohort samples from 13 studies involving 177,025 participants. Daily salt intake was estimated at baseline only from a single 24-hour urine measurement or dietary assessment. The average difference between high-intake and low-intake groups was about 5 g of salt (86 mmol of sodium) per day.

During follow-up p…

Reviewing Author

Beat J. Meyer, MD

Disclosures

Leadership positions in professional societiesBern Heart Foundation (President); International Academy of Medicine, Bern, Switzerland (Director)

Beat J. Meyer, MD

Disclosures

Leadership positions in professional societiesBern Heart Foundation (President); International Academy of Medicine, Bern, Switzerland (Director)

Could Reducing Salt Consumption Prevent Cardiovascular Events?

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Reviewing Author