Daily Equivalent Of Sodium For Heart Patients

A diagnosis of high blood pressure or heart disease requires dietary changes to safeguard your health. The normally recommended amount of sodium for the average diet may be too great for your compromised cardiovascular system and kidneys to handle. The Institute of Medicine sets a daily equivalent of sodium that is considered safe for heart patients, to control or stave off high blood pressure. This sodium reduction is most effective in lowering blood pressure when offset by sufficient potassium, in most cases. Ask your doctor what your particular condition requires.

Sodium Sources

While many foods contain moderate amounts of natural sodium, most sodium is consumed as sodium chloride, or salt that is added to foods. This makes it easy to track your intake, using the nutrition information on food labels. Once you calculate your usual consumption of sodium, you can see where to make reductions in your diet. Commercially processed foods, which tend to contain large amounts of added salt, are typical targets for dietary improvement.

Sodium Intake Goals

The Institute of Medicine sets a tolerable upper intake level and an adequate intake level of nutrients. UL is the amount that conveys no hazard to normal healthy people, while AI represents sufficient intake to replace normal nutrient loss for metabolic use. Because most Americans consume more than the recommended UL of 2,300 mg of sodium, your doctor may suggest a step-down method in controlling your sodium intake. The Institute of Medicine recommends that patients with high blood pressure, or hypertension, take in less than the AI of 1,500 mg of sodium. Your doctor may request a lower daily equivalent based on your health condition.

Potassium Needs

Your blood pressure level is directly tied to your sodium intake, so that the more salt you consume, the higher your blood pressure will be. This impact is diminished somewhat by adequate potassium intake. The Institute of Medicine reports that most Americans do not achieve the recommended daily intake of 4,700 mg of potassium, the greater ratio to sodium required to positively affect blood pressure. Unless your doctor advises potassium restriction for other medical reasons, you should pursue adequate mineral intake from fresh fruits and vegetables and low-fat dairy products.

Significance

The result of the daily equivalent of sodium on your blood pressure, therefore, depends on both your sodium and potassium consumption. Keeping your blood pressure from escalating can prevent or mitigate cardiovascular complications. These include heart attack and stroke, the two primary causes of death in the United States.