Salt substitutes reduce hypertension risk by up to 40%
![Salt substitutes are associated with a reduced risk of high blood pressure without increasing the risk of low blood pressure, according to new findings published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.[1]](/sites/default/files/styles/top_stories/public/2018-04/salt-3285024_1920.jpg.webp?itok=cA0aeCky)
Salt substitutes are associated with a reduced risk of high blood pressure without increasing the risk of low blood pressure, according to new findings published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.[1]
“Adults frequently fall into the trap of consuming excess salt through easily accessible and budget-friendly processed foods,” lead author Yangfeng Wu, MD, PhD, executive director of the Peking University Clinical Research Institute in China, said in a statement. “It's crucial to recognize the impact of our dietary choices on heart health and increase the public’s awareness of lower-sodium options.”
For the DECIDE-Salt clinical trial, Wu et al. examined data from more than 600 study participants 55 years old and older. While 313 of those participants switched from regular salt to a salt substitute, the remaining 298 continued using regular salt.
Each participant began the study with blood pressure <140/90 mmHg. After two years, the researchers found that hypertension cases were seen at a rate of 11.7 per 100 people-years in the salt substitute group and 24.3 per 100 people-years in the control group. Participants using salt substitutes were 40% less likely to develop hypertension than participants who stuck with regular salt during that two-year period. The authors also confirmed that hypotension was not seen at an elevated level in the salt substitute group.
“Our results showcase an exciting breakthrough in maintaining blood pressure that offers a way for people to safeguard their health and minimize the potential for cardiovascular risks, all while being able to enjoy the perks of adding delicious flavor to their favorite meals,” Wu said in the same statement. “Considering its blood pressure-lowering effect, proven in previous studies, the salt substitute is beneficial to all people, either hypertensive or normotensive, thus a desirable population strategy for prevention and control of hypertension and cardiovascular disease.”
Click here to read the full analysis.
What about just reducing salt intake?
In a separate editorial, also published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, one specialist said this research supports the ongoing trend of encouraging people to use salt substitutes as opposed to simply consuming less salt.[2] Reducing salt intake would still be beneficial, of course, but it has also been difficult to get large groups of people to embrace this change.
“To lower salt intake below levels recommended by the guidelines, patients need to radically change their eating behavior in the long term, which has proven to be challenging,” wrote editorial author Rik H.G. Olde Engberink, MD, PhD, a specialist with Amsterdam University Medical Center.
Read the full editorial here.
Michael has more than 18 years of experience as a professional writer and editor. He has written at length about cardiology, radiology, artificial intelligence and other key healthcare topics.