Salt and its other adverse effects on the heart
blood pressure| heart | cancer | kidneys | osteoporosis | asthma | obesity | fluid retention
Direct effect on left ventricular mass
Salt intake relates directly and independently to enlargement of the heart (Fig 1) and
reducing salt intake reduces left ventricular hypertrophy (1). Left ventricular hypertrophy is a
major risk factor for cardiovascular disease.
Figure 1. Relationship between salt intake and left ventricular mass in individuals with systolic blood pressure >121 mmHg. (Adapted from Ref 1).
Direct effect on stroke
Animal studies and human epidemiological evidence suggests that a high salt intake has a
direct effect on strokes, independent and additive to salt's effect on blood pressure (2). When different populations are compared, there is a very close correlation
between the prevalence of strokes, or stroke mortality, and salt
intake (Fig 2).
Figure 2. Relationship between salt intake as judged by 24h urinary salt excretion and stroke mortality in Western Europe. (Adapted from Ref 2).
References
(1) Schmieder R E, Messerli F H, Garavaglia G E, Nunez B D. Dietary salt intake. A
determinant of cardiac involvement in essential hypertension. Circulation.
1988;78:951-6.
(2) Perry I J, Beevers D G. Salt intake and stroke: a possible direct effect. J Hum
Hypertension. 1992; 6:23-5.