Heart Health
Switching to a salt substitute may reduce stroke risk
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Swapping regular table salt (sodium chloride) with a salt substitute containing some potassium chloride may lower the risk of strokes and related heart problems, according to a large study from China.
Diets high in sodium but low in potassium are known to raise blood pressure and increase the risk of heart disease (including stroke) and early death.
For the study, researchers recruited nearly 21,000 adults from rural villages in China and gave half of them a salt substitute that contained 25% potassium chloride. The others were told to keep using regular salt. Their average age was 65; most had high blood pressure, and 73% had already experienced a stroke.
After a follow-up of nearly five years, rates of strokes, major heart-related problems, and deaths were slightly lower among the people using the salt substitutes. And elevated potassium levels (a potentially worrisome side effect) were not more common among those using the substitutes. The study was published Sept. 16, 2021, in The New England Journal of Medicine.
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About the Author
Julie Corliss, Executive Editor, Harvard Heart Letter
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