The hypertension It is the disease in which a person loses the moderation of the heartbeat in all the arteries. “As a consequence, pressure increases within the vascular system, the heart beats faster and the arteries cannot cushion it, which triggers vascular aging.“, he tells THE NATIONSebastián Eduardo Obregón (MN 97825), head of the Center for Arterial Hypertension and Vascular Aging at the Austral University Hospital, regarding one of the health conditions that currently causes the most concern and diagnoses.
Excess salt is main warnings to which health professionals refer to prevent and treat imbalance symptoms blood pressure. However, not everyone knows about the alternative with which it can be replaced: salt enriched with potassium, a substance that can be used as a medicine, supplement, and even a salt substitute.
It should be noted that the feeding it’s a key factor in the regulation of blood pressure. “The addition of sodium in foods, along with other eating habits such as the consumption of excessive red meat, hard cheeses and baked goods with added sodium, has a linear incidence with the increase in blood pressure,” says Yael Hasbani, an advisor in Dietetics and Natural Nutrition.
On the subject, recent research titled “Potassium-enriched salt substitutes: a review of clinical treatment guideline recommendations” states that such an alternative to common table salt could have a significant impact on health. In the document published by the American Heart Association (AHA), professionals They encourage the addition of potassium-enriched salt in the treatment guidelines for high blood pressure (HTN).
“Recent and consistent data from randomized controlled trials show that salt substitutes reduced in sodium and enriched with potassium are an effective option to improve consumption levels and reduce blood pressure and rates of cardiovascular events and deaths” appears in the conclusions of the writing.
In addition to that, it stands out: “Given the large amount of evidence available, We think it’s time to include salt substitutes with potassium in treatment guidelines to help address rising rates of uncontrolled high blood pressure throughout the world and reduce preventable deaths.”
The suggestion and warning arises after verifying that 20% of deaths linked to high blood pressure are related to excessive salt consumption and that existing clinical guidelines They lack recommendations to include the use of potassium-enriched salt substitutes.
“When a person with high blood pressure eats the wrong food or does not eat a diet suitable for their condition, it can cause a spike in blood pressure or increase vascular damage to the heart and kidneys,” says Hasbani. He subsequently warns: “All these consequences are cumulative and end up triggering heart attacks and cerebrovascular accidents.”
The document also clarifies that a provisional wording was chosen to start the debate and advance the creation of consensus that establishes that the use of salt enriched with potassium (with a composition of 75% sodium chloride and 25% potassium chloride) “should be recommended to all patients with hypertension, unless they have advanced kidney diseaseare using a potassium supplement, are using a potassium-sparing diuretic or have another contraindication.”
The expert adds that Potassium-based salts are widely approved by international associations and scientific societies. They agree that in addition to helping to season food and give it another taste, they are not harmful to people with high blood pressure.
“If the world switched from using regular salt to salt enriched with potassium, millions of strokes and heart attacks would be avoided every year at a very good pace and at a low cost,” the researchers emphasize.
According to Hasbani, potassium-based salt It is not difficult to find since it is sold in health food stores, supermarkets and, sometimes, pharmacies. “As the taste is different and people are not used to consuming it, in general, they complain about the taste and decide not to use it or replace it with herbs,” he adds.
Another point that should not be overlooked according to the professional is that of misunderstanding that the consumption of common or table salt is prohibitive: “We need to consume sodium since, together with iodine, it collaborates with the secretion of thyroid hormone; The problem is its excessive intake.”
On the other hand, among the vast evidence that supports the writing published by AHA, a study carried out in China stands out, the results of which were published in 2021 in the journal New England Journal of Medicine. In it, the professionals highlight that the participants who had used a salt substitute (75% sodium chloride and 25% potassium chloride) compared to those who had used common salt showed a reduction in death from any cause by 12%, the risk of cardiovascular events by 13%, and the risk of stroke by 14%., after five years of follow-up; all resulting from uncontrolled blood pressure problems.
Between the recommendations for hypertensive people What specialists suggest are: stress control given that the regulation of blood pressure has a nervous regulation; make use of cooking techniques that do not involve the addition of salt; When they eat outside their homes, ask that they not add salt to the food or choose menu options that are salt-free; In dairy products, baked goods and any other packaged food, it is recommended to buy the unsalted option.
“Of course, to maintain blood pressure values within normal parameters The indication for medication or the guidelines that both a doctor and a diet and nutrition advisor recommend should not be ignored.”concludes Hasbani.
Symptoms of high blood pressure
For Dr. Obregón, In general, hypertensive patients who are unaware of their condition do not present physical symptoms that indicate discomfort. Therefore, it highlights four ways in which a person can find out that they suffer from high blood pressure problems.
Finally, specialists recommend always following a regular medical control routine. They also explain that one way to self-diagnose and measure your pressure is by using a digital blood pressure monitor. “It is very simple to do since people follow a pressure control protocol for 5-6 days at home. It is recommended to do two records in the morning before breakfast and two at night before dinner,” the doctor clarifies. If when measured The systolic or maximum pressure is 130 and the diastolic or minimum pressure is 80 millimeters of mercury (mmHg) It is surely a diagnosis of high blood pressure which should be consulted with a professional as soon as possible.