Featured, In the News / Politics:

Correlation of Salt-Intake and Hypertension

By: Jordan Plair, PharmD Candidate c/o 2022 and Marina Beshara, PharmD Candidate c/o 2022

             While the focus over the last year has been fixated on the deadly coronavirus, the importance of a long-standing health pandemic exacerbated by salt intake cannot be overlooked. Hypertension, more commonly referred to as high blood pressure, is a medical condition that affects nearly 50 percent of adults in America. 1 That number has been gradually increasing but because the effects of chronic hypertension are not seen acutely, it can be considered a “quiet pandemic.” 2 One of the major factors contributing to hypertension in America is diet, specifically the exorbitant amount of salt present in the diet. Diets heavy in salt not only increase blood pressure, but can also increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes. The magnitude of this harm places salt among the list of major killers in America. 2

Salt increases blood pressure due to its sodium content. When too much sodium is in the body, the body holds on to extra water to wash the salt from the body. This excess water puts stress on the heart and body, ultimately causing blood pressure to rise in some people. 3 Over time, the excess salt will continue to elevate blood pressure and the risk of cardiac problems, such as a heart attack. Evidently, by lowering sodium intake, there is a reduction in blood pressure and a decreased risk of experiencing complications from uncontrolled cardiovascular disease. 4 Foods that are high in sodium and should be limited include processed and canned foods, deli meats, condiments, chips and frozen items. 5 Exercising daily is another means of combating excess salt. When exercising, sodium is lost through sweat, thus helping to reduce sodium levels in the body. 3

Based on the most recent guidelines published by the American Heart Association (AHA) in 2017, blood pressure can be categorized in four different ways: normal, elevated, stage 1 hypertension, and stage 2 hypertension. Quantitatively speaking, elevated blood pressure refers to a blood pressure reading of 120-129 mmHg/<80 mmHg. Stage 1 of hypertension is defined as 130-139 mmHg systolic blood pressure or  80-89 mmHg diastolic blood pressure. Stage 2 hypertension is defined as ≥ 140 mmHg systolic blood pressure or  ≥ 90 mmHg diastolic blood pressure. A diagnosis cannot be made based on only one elevated BP measurement. An elevated value from the average of two or more measurements, present during two or more clinical encounters, is needed to diagnose hypertension. 6 A normal blood pressure is < 120 mmHg/ <80 mmHg. When there is an elevated blood pressure then lifestyle modifications are strongly recommended to prevent or delay progression to hypertension, which would warrant pharmacologic treatment. 6

The sodium intake of both males and females in America exceeds the recommended daily limit. According to the updated 2020-2025 dietary guidelines, it is recommended that an average adult American should consume less than 2300 mg of sodium per day. 7 The sodium intake is much higher than recommended due to consumption of foods that are high in sodium such as pizza, burgers, meat, rice, etc. 7 The Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension (DASH) is a diet initiative that is used as part of lifestyle modifications to help individuals control their sodium intake. The DASH eating plan includes vegetables, fruits, low-fat dairy products, whole grains, poultry, fish, beans and nuts. 7 This eating plan includes many food options that are not high in sodium.

There are many ways to manage dietary intake while consuming moderate amounts of sodium. Consuming fruits and vegetables, foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids such as salmon, low-fat dairy products, etc. can play a huge role in lowering blood pressure and losing weight. 6 Salt is a major staple in many recipes so avoiding it entirely may not be feasible, however, limiting salt in the diet based on the dietary recommendations is crucial to promoting heart health.

References:

  1. “More than 100 Million Americans Have High Blood Pressure, AHA Says.”American Heart Association.www.heart.org/en/news/2018/05/01/more-than-100-million-americans-have-high-blood-pressure-aha-says. Published January 18, 2018. Accessed June 6, 2021.
  2. “High Blood Pressure Diet: Foods to Eat & to Avoid.” Cleveland Clinic, my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/4249-hypertension-and-nutrition. Accessed June 9, 2021.
  3. Grillo A, Salvi L, Coruzzi P, Salvi P, Parati G. Sodium Intake and Hypertension. Nutrients. 2019;11(9):1970. Published Aug 21, 2019. Accessed June 8, 2021.
  4. Casarella J. “High Blood Pressure Diet.” WebMD. https://www.webmd.com/hypertension-high-blood-pressure/high-blood-pressure-diet. Published October 26, 2020. Accessed June 8, 2021.
  5. Whelton PK, Carey RM, Aronow WS, et al. 2017 ACC/AHA/AAPA/ABC/ACPM/AGS/APhA/ASH/ASPC/NMA/PCNA Guideline for the Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Management of High Blood Pressure in Adults. Journal of the American College of Cardiology. 2018;71(19). doi:10.1016/j.jacc.2017.11.006. Accessed June 11, 2021.
  6. Whelton PK, Carey RM, Aronow WS, et al. 2017 ACC/AHA/AAPA/ABC/ACPM/AGS/APhA/ASH/ASPC/NMA/PCNA Guideline for the Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Management of High Blood Pressure in Adults. Journal of the American College of Cardiology. 2018;71(19). doi:10.1016/j.jacc.2017.11.006. Accessed June 11, 2021.
  7. GUIDELINES FOR AMERICANS Healthy Eating Pattern 2015-2020. https://health.gov/sites/default/files/2019-10/DGA_Healthy-Eating-Pattern.pdf. Published December 2015. Accessed June 11, 2021.
Published by Rho Chi Post
Both comments and trackbacks are currently closed.