SALT INTAKE, BLOOD-PRESSURE, AND CARDIOVASCULAR STRUCTURE

Epidemiologic data revealed that a low sodium intake might have a favo rable influence on blood pressure throughout an individual's lifetime. Sodium restriction was reported to lead to a modest fall in blood pre ssure in some studies, although a few groups of hypertensive patients experienced a rise in blood pressure. Left ventricular hypertrophy has been demonstrated to be related to cardiovascular morbidity and morta lity independent of other risk factors. Dietary salt intake participat es in the hypertrophic process independent of other determinants. Thus , 24-hour urinary sodium excretion has been reported to correlate with left ventricular mass independent of levels of arterial pressure. Thr ee different mechanisms may link dietary salt intake to myocardial hyp ertrophy: the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, the sympathetic ne rvous system, and fluid volume homeostasis. Whether salt restriction r educes cardiovascular structural damage independent of arterial pressu re has not been determined.