Abstract
Policy positions on salt consumption (based largely on the association of sodium and
blood pressure [BP]) has remained unchanged since the 1970s, until recently. However,
this is beginning to change as new evidence emerges. The evidence supports a strong
association of sodium with BP and cardiovascular disease events in hypertensive individuals,
the elderly, and those who consume > 6 g/d of sodium. However, there is no association
of sodium with clinical events at 3 to 6 g/day and a paradoxical higher rate of events
at < 3 g/day. Therefore, until new evidence emerges, the optimal range of sodium consumption
should be considered to be between 3 and 6 g/d. Population-wide sodium reduction is
not justified in countries such as Canada.
Résumé
Les positions sur les politiques de consommation de sel (basées en grande partie sur
le lien entre le sodium et la pression artérielle [PA]) sont demeurées inchangées
depuis les années 70 jusqu'à tout récemment. Cependant, des changements s’amorcent
étant donné que de nouvelles données scientifiques apparaissent. Les données soutiennent
qu’il existe un lien important entre le sodium et la PA et les événements cardiovasculaires
chez les individus hypertendus, les personnes âgées et les personnes qui consomment
> 6 g/j de sodium. Cependant, on n'observe aucun lien entre le sodium et les événements
cliniques à raison de 3 à 6 g/j, et l'incidence paradoxalement plus élevée d'événements
à < 3 g/j. Par conséquent, jusqu’à ce que de nouvelles données scientifiques voient
le jour, l’étendue optimale de la consommation de sodium devrait être située entre
3 et 6 g/j. La réduction de sodium à l’échelle de la population n’est pas justifiée
dans des pays comme le Canada.
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: February 18, 2014
Accepted:
February 11,
2014
Received:
February 7,
2014
Footnotes
See article by Neal, pages 502-506 of this issue.
See page 511 for disclosure information.
Identification
Copyright
© 2014 Canadian Cardiovascular Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
