Potassium and Hypertension: A State-of-the-Art Review

Am J Hypertens. 2023 Sep 29:hpad094. doi: 10.1093/ajh/hpad094. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTHypertension is the single most important and modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality worldwide. Non pharmacologic interventions, in particular dietary modifications have been established to decrease blood pressure and hypertension related adverse cardiovascular events. Among those dietary modifications, sodium intake restriction dominates guidelines from professional organizations and has garnered the greatest attention from the mainstream media. Despite guidelines and media exhortations, dietary sodium intake globally has not noticeably changed over recent decades. Meanwhile, increasing dietary potassium intake has remained on the sidelines, despite similar blood pressure-lowering effects. New research reveals a potential mechanism of action, with the elucidation of its effect on natriuresis via the potassium switch effect. Additionally, potassium substituted salt has been shown to not only reduce blood pressure, but also reduce the risk for stroke and cardiovascular mortality. With these data, we argue that the focus on dietary modification should shift from a sodium- focused to a sodium- and potassium-focused approach with an emphasis on intervention strategies which can easily be implemented into clinical practice.PMID:37772757 | DOI:10.1093/ajh/hpad094
Source: American Journal of Hypertension - Category: Cardiology Authors: Source Type: research