Giving up salt for people with heart disease can be very difficult

 

Salt

A recent study has revealed that reducing sodium consumption is essential in the treatment of heart disease, however, most heart patients struggle to limit their salt intake.

According to researchers, people diagnosed with heart disease consume more than twice the recommended daily amount of sodium, which can have serious implications for their cardiovascular health.

Sodium plays an essential role in the functioning of the human body, but excess consumption can raise blood pressure, damage blood vessels, and put an additional burden on the heart. Additionally, excessive salt consumption can lead to fluid retention and worsening conditions such as heart failure.

Dietary guidelines in the United States suggest that patients with heart disease should limit their sodium intake to 1,500 milligrams per day, while even healthy people should stay below 2,300 milligrams daily.

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However, a study that examined more than 3,100 heart patients revealed that 89% of them consumed more than the maximum recommended amount of 1,500 milligrams per day.

In fact, the average salt consumption among these patients was 3,096 milligrams daily, just below the national average of 3,400 milligrams daily reported by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Sodium intake in cardiac patients

Dr. Elsie Kodjoe, an internal medicine resident at Piedmont Athens Regional Hospital in Georgia and principal investigator of the study, noted that the difference in sodium intake between heart patients and the general population is relatively small, suggesting a lack of limiting salt intake by cardiac patients.

The study, which analyzed dietary data from patients with heart disease between 2009 and 2018, highlighted the difficulties these patients faced in estimating the amount of salt in food products and prepared meals.

Kodjoe emphasized the need to find more practical ways for patients to comply with dietary guidelines, such as providing clearer information about sodium content in foods or reducing sodium in products directly from the source.

The research will be presented at the annual meeting of the American College of Cardiology in Atlanta, underscoring the importance of addressing excessive salt consumption to protect heart health. Findings presented at medical meetings should be considered preliminary until publication in a peer-reviewed journal.

The researchers also noted that there were no significant differences in salt consumption based on the income, gender, race, or education of the people examined.

In addition, they highlighted the importance of preparing more meals at home to have greater control over salt levels, as well as reading food labels carefully and limiting the intake of those with sodium levels higher than 140 milligrams.

In the words of Dr. Kodjoe, “cardiovascular disease is a reality and is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, according to the World Health Organization.” Adhering to sodium guidelines, she added, is one of the simplest strategies people can adopt to reduce hospitalizations, health care costs, and morbidity and mortality associated with cardiovascular disease.