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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2015 Feb;104(2):128-35.
doi: 10.5935/abc.20140174. Epub 2014 Nov 18.

Impact of light salt substitution for regular salt on blood pressure of hypertensive patients

[Article in English, Portuguese]
Carolina Lôbo de Almeida Barros  1 , Ana Luiza Lima Sousa  1 , Brunella Mendonça Chinem  1 , Rafaela Bernardes Rodrigues  1 , Thiago Souza Veiga Jardim  1 , Sérgio Baiocchi Carneiro  1 , Weimar Kunz Sebba Barroso de Souza  1 , Paulo César Brandão Veiga Jardim  1
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Impact of light salt substitution for regular salt on blood pressure of hypertensive patients

[Article in English, Portuguese]
Carolina Lôbo de Almeida Barros et al. Arq Bras Cardiol. 2015 Feb.

Abstract

Background: Studies have shown sodium restriction to have a beneficial effect on blood pressure (BP) of hypertensive patients.

Objective: To evaluate the impact of light salt substitution for regular salt on BP of hypertensive patients.

Methods: Uncontrolled hypertensive patients of both sexes, 20 to 65 years-old, on stable doses of antihypertensive drugs were randomized into Intervention Group (IG - receiving light salt) and Control Group (CG - receiving regular salt). Systolic BP (SBP) and diastolic BP (DBP) were analyzed by using casual BP measurements and Home Blood Pressure Monitoring (HBPM), and sodium and potassium excretion was assessed on 24-hour urine samples. The patients received 3 g of salt for daily consumption for 4 weeks.

Results: The study evaluated 35 patients (65.7% women), 19 allocated to the IG and 16 to the CG. The mean age was 55.5 ± 7.4 years. Most participants had completed the Brazilian middle school (up to the 8th grade; n = 28; 80.0%), had a family income of up to US$ 600 (n = 17; 48.6%) and practiced regular physical activity (n = 19; 54.3%). Two patients (5.7%) were smokers and 40.0% consumed alcohol regularly (n = 14). The IG showed a significant reduction in both SBP and DBP on the casual measurements and HBPM (p < 0.05) and in sodium excretion (p = 0.016). The CG showed a significant reduction only in casual SBP (p = 0.032).

Conclusions: The light salt substitution for regular salt significantly reduced BP of hypertensive patients.

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Conflict of interest statement

Potential Conflict of Interest

No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Flow diagram of patients’ randomization.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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