Future Cardiovascular Disease & the Big Impact of Small Salt Reductions

Host: Janet Wright, MD Guest: Glenn Chertow, MD, MPH Guest: Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo, MD, PhD We are well aware that the overabundance of processed, frozen and fast foods contribute to many Americans exceeding the recommended daily allowance of sodium. But there are potentially enormous cardiovascular benefits to cutting down on salt intake by even a very modest amount. How can we quantify the actual clinical impact of salt reduction? Dr. Kirstin Bibbins-Domingo, associate professor of medicine and of epidemiology and biostatistics at the University of California San Francisco, and Dr. Glenn Chertow, professor of medicine and chief of the division of nephrology at Stanford University School of Medicine in Stanford, California, discuss findings from their study on the effects of modest salt reduction using a computerized model. How would reducing salt intake cut down on healthcare costs, in addition to promoting better overall public health? Can the health benefits of reducing population-wide salt intake compare to reducing the number of smokers in the US?