The Importance of Population-Wide Sodium Reduction as a Means to Prevent Cardiovascular Disease and Stroke
Year: 2011
Type: article
Abstract: B lood pressure (BP)-related diseases, specifically, stroke, coronary heart disease, heart failure, and kidney disease, are leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the United States and throughout the world.In the United States, coronary heart disease and stroke are the leading causes of mortality, whereas heart failure is the leading cause of hospitalizations. 1 Concurrently, the prevalence of chronic kidney disease remains high and is escalating.2,3 The direct and indirect costs of these conditions are staggering, over $400 billion just for cardiovascular disease (CVD) in 2009.1,4 The human consequences are likewise enormous.The relation between BP and adverse health outcomes is direct and progressive with no evidence of a threshold, that is, the risk of CVD, stroke, and end-stage kidney disease increases progressively throughout the range of usual BP starting at a level of Ϸ115/75 mm Hg. [5][6][7] Overall, elevated BP is the second leading modifiable cause of death, accounting for an estimated 395 000 preventable deaths in the United States in 2005.8 Worldwide, elevated BP accounts for 54% of stroke and 47% of coronary heart disease events; importantly, about half of these events occur in persons without hypertension.9 The 2020 goal of the American Heart Association (AHA) is to improve the cardiovascular heath of all Americans by 20% while continuing to reduce deaths from CVD and stroke by 20%. 4 Two of the key metrics for ideal cardiovascular health are a BP of Ͻ120/80 mm Hg and sodium consumption of Ͻ1500 mg/d.The purpose of this advisory is 2-fold: first is to highlight the impressive body of evidence that links sodium intake with elevated BP and other adverse outcomes, and second, to serve as a call to action on behalf of the AHA for individuals, healthcare providers, professional organizations, governments, and industry to address this major public health issue.See Table for key points.
Source: Circulation
Language: English
Topic: Sodium Intake and Health
Subfield: Nutrition and Dietetics
Field: Nursing
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W2047423571