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Modest salt reduction reduces blood pressure and urine protein excretion in black hypertensives: a randomized control

Pauline A Swift1, Nirmala D Markandu, Giuseppe A Sagnella

  • 1St. George's Hospital Medical School, London, SW17 0RE, UK. p.swift@sghms.ac.uk

Hypertension (Dallas, Tex. : 1979)
|June 29, 2005
PubMed

Insights

Reducing dietary salt intake significantly lowers blood pressure and reduces protein excretion in black individuals with hypertension. This simple dietary change is recommended for managing high blood pressure and protecting kidney health in this population.

Area of Science:

  • Nephrology
  • Cardiology
  • Hypertension research

Background:

  • High blood pressure and proteinuria are key risk factors for cardiovascular and renal diseases.
  • Black individuals face a disproportionately higher risk of hypertension, stroke, heart failure, and kidney disease.
  • Controlled studies on salt restriction's effects in Black hypertensives were lacking.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the impact of modest salt restriction on blood pressure and urine protein excretion.
  • To assess these effects specifically in nondiabetic Black hypertensive subjects.

Main Methods:

  • A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study.
  • Participants underwent run-in periods, followed by salt restriction and then received either slow sodium or placebo tablets for 4 weeks.
  • Measurements included urinary sodium excretion, blood pressure, and 24-hour urine protein levels.

Main Results:

  • Salt restriction reduced daily urinary sodium excretion from approximately 10g to 5g (P<0.001).
  • Blood pressure decreased significantly in hypertensive Black subjects (P<0.01).
  • Urinary protein excretion also showed a significant reduction (P<0.008).

Conclusions:

  • Modest salt restriction (to ≤5 g/day) effectively lowers blood pressure and urine protein excretion in Black hypertensives.
  • This dietary intervention is recommended for Black individuals with elevated blood pressure to mitigate cardiovascular and renal risks.

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