Roles of Sodium and Potassium in the Development and Management of Hypertension

There is general consensus that a high intake of potassium may protect against high blood pressure, and that a low intake of this mineral may contribute to hypertension. However, the effect of dietary salt (sodium chloride) on blood pressure is the cause of great discussion. The origin of the salt debate can be traced to the first half of this century when practically no measures were available to treat high blood pressure other than a drastic reduction in salt intake. Subsequent studies in salt‐sensitive rats and observations of questionable scientific value in various human populations were interpreted as indisputable proof of a major role for salt in the elevation of blood pressure. This led to the widely accepted yet erroneous idea that present salt intake is largely responsible for high blood pressure in the general population of Western countries. Rather, numerous factors affect blood pressure and its sensitivity to salt. Therefore, broader modifications—increasing exercise, consuming more potassium‐rich fruits and vegetables and calcium‐rich dairy products, and moderating alcohol consumption—are likely of greater importance for blood pressure control in the population at large than a single focus on the restriction of salt intake.