Global Heart Podcast: Rethinking Salt: A New Path to Tackling Hypertension

Send us Fan MailIn this episode of the Global Heart Podcast, host Pablo Perel speaks with Prof. Bruce Neal about excess salt consumption, hypertension, and the growing evidence behind potassium-enriched salt substitutes as a practical strategy to reduce cardiovascular disease globally.Prof. Neal explains why traditional salt reduction efforts have struggled, how potassium-enriched salt works, and what major studies — including the landmark Salt Substitute and Stroke Study (SSaSS) — reveal about its impact on blood pressure, stroke, cardiovascular events, and premature death.Together, they discuss safety considerations, implementation challenges, affordability, global guideline recommendations, and why this approach may have particular potential in low- and middle-income countries.Tune in to learn how rethinking salt could help transform hypertension prevention worldwide.WHO Guideline on Lower-Sodium Salt Substitutes:https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240105591Read more about the Salt Substitute and Stroke Study (SSaSS):https://www.acc.org/latest-in-cardiology/clinical-trials/2021/08/26/01/19/ssassFurther reading:World Heart Federation – Hypertension Resourceshttps://world-heart-federation.org/what-we-do/hypertension/European Hypertension Guidelineshttps://academic.oup.com/eurheartj/article/45/38/3912/7741010