[The Intersalt study: results and perspectives]

The recently published Intersalt Study comprising 10,079 participants from 52 study centers in 32 countries demonstrated that the simple linear relationship so far postulated for the association between electrolytes and hypertension is history. In addition overweight and alcohol consumption make an independent contribution to the level of individual blood pressures. The study results have to be interpreted carefully in the framework of a differentiated epidemiologic analysis.