Hypertension is one of the leading causes of death and disability among adults all over the world. It remains the major risk factor for coronary, cerebral and peripheral vascular disease. Essential hypertension comprises more than 90% of hypertension.
Hypertension is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease and is highly common in Western societies. It has been estimated that a shift in the population blood pressure distribution to a 5mmHg lower level may prevent one-thirds of strokes and one-fifth of coronary events.Sodium and potassium have been implicated in the aetiology of hypertension. Meta-analyses of randomised trials found blood pressure falls of 3–5mmHg systolic and 1–2mmHg diastolic for sodium reduction in hypertensives, and reductions half this size in normotensives. For potassium supplementation, blood pressure reductions of more than 3mmHg systolic and 2mmHg diastolic have been reported. Blood pressure response to sodium (and possibly also potassium) could be related to initial blood pressure level, age, gender, race, and genetic factors. Effect modifiers (eg, hypertension) could underly the selection of study populations in blood pressure trials. Therefore, blood pressure estimates from meta-analyses of randomised trials may not be applicable to the population as a whole. More insight into the blood pressure effects of sodium and potassium in specific population subgroups is therefore warranted. We examined blood pressure response to changes in sodium and potassium intake, overall and in relevant segments of the population. Multivariate metaregression analysis of randomised blood.