Hypertension affects more than 1.25 billion people worldwide, including more than 100 million Americans. Worldwide, most people consume more salt than recommended. Does it have anything to do with each other?
A multi-center clinical trial led by Cora Lewis, M.D., professor and chair of the Department of Epidemiology at the University of Alabama, is now enrolling participants to explore two related questions:
Blood pressure sensitivity to salt is common, but how common is it?
How can this be explained?
”There is wide variability in blood pressure response to salt”
Cora Lewis, professor, THE UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA
“A number of studies link high salt intake to high blood pressure and a higher risk of premature death and cardiovascular disease, including heart attacks and strokes,” Lewis said. “From randomized controlled trials, the gold-standard type of clinical study, we know that a lower-sodium diet lowers blood pressure on average. But there is wide variability in blood pressure response to salt.”
Salt sensitivity varies from person to person for unknown reasons. Studies show that salt sensitive individuals have a higher mortality rate. Identifying these individuals is critical. People with high blood pressure are more likely to be sensitive to salt than people with normal blood pressure, with about half being sensitive to salt.
Salt intake and blood pressure have rarely been explored experimentally, especially in recent decades. Lewis’ study uses a smaller device that participants take home to measure blood pressure continuously over 24 hours, instead of relying on food diaries and spot checks.
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