TO ASSESS THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE INTERVENTION OF THE LOW-SODIUM DIET IN PATIENTS WITH HTA

Arterial hypertension is an independent vascular risk factor and a frequent reason for consultation in Primary Care. It generates high cardiovascular morbidity and mortality (stroke, heart disease, kidney failure and other diseases). Moreover, given that it is a modifiable factor and that there are intervention and control measures that would lead to a significant reduction in cardiovascular incidence and morbimortality, it can be stated that ETS is a major public health problem. The approach to this risk factor can be pharmacological and non-pharmacological. The non-pharmacological approach is based on lifestyle modification. Among the measures aimed at modifying lifestyles is the restriction of daily intake of sodium in the diet. Such restriction enhances the hypotensive effect of pharmacological treatment so that its application and intensification would delay the start of pharmacological therapy, as well as avoid the need to increase the dose of antihypertensive drugs or the number of drugs to be used for the control of hypertension. In relation to salt intake in the Spanish population, the average is above the figures of less than 5 grams per day recommended by the WHO. Sodium intake can be estimated by determining the 24-hour urine sodium concentration. In addition, there is a positive correlation between systolic and diastolic blood pressure figures and the excretion of sodium in urine.