Clinical evaluation of the low-salt dietary interventions impact on arterial hypertension

• Main Author: I. M. Voloshyna
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Zaporozhye State Medical University 2018-04-01
• Series: Zaporožskij Medicinskij Žurnal
• Subjects: hypertension; sodium chloride; blood pressure; potassium
• Online Access: http://zmj.zsmu.edu.ua/article/view/124829/124572

Purpose. The estimation of low-salt dietary interventions impact on arterial hypertension clinical manifestation. Materials and methods. A randomized study was conducted with an intervention period of 4-weeks in 82 hypertensive subjects (52 women, 30 men) aged 47–76 years. All patients received baseline antihypertensive therapy with inadequate blood pressure (BP) control below 140/90 mm Hg. Patients were randomized on 2 groups, adjusted by age and sex. The first group included 41 subjects received standard recommendations for nutrition. Patients of the second group received a detailed explanation of the low-salt diet with indication on using low- salt supplement (consisting of 70 % NaCl, 30 % KCl) instead of the usual table salt. We analyzed the dynamics of BP, clinical signs, the data from the questionnaires, the frequency of urgent hypertensive cases, the frequency of patient’s re-visit to physicians regarding changes in antihypertensive treatment regimen during the observation period, data of objective examination. Results. According to the “office” measurements of BP, a general tendency to decrease the BP level in both groups has been noted. The diastolic BP level in the second clinical group was significantly lower than in the control group. The number of patients with “office” BP above 140/90 mmHg in the control group decreased by 27 %, in the second group – by 63.5 % (P < 0.0001). Intensive dietary interventions for salt reduction intake were associated with a significant reduction of the manifestation of ankle swelling (OR = 0.19; P = 0.0016). In the second group, hypertensive urgent cases were registered twice as less than in the control group (OR = 0.38; P = 0.11). The frequency of re-visit of the physician for the treatment correction has been noted in 48 % of first group patients and in 12 % in the second group (OR = 0.15, P < 0.001). Conclusions. Intensive low-salt dietary interventions have been associated with better blood pressure control in hypertensive patients received antihypertensive therapy. Low-sodium salt, enriched with 30 % potassium chloride, can be used as a supplement for effective control of blood pressure, helps to reduce ankle swelling manifestations and to lower the frequency of short-term re-visits to the physician for the correction of the antihypertensive treatment, compared with patients who accepted usual dietary recommendations.