CNIC - Spanish National Center for Cardiovascular Research / Centro Nac. Investigaciones Cardiovasc.’s Post

How excessive salt intake is harming our health According to a recent World Health Organization report, #CardiovascularDiseases (#CVDs) claim the lives of 10,000 people every day in the European Region. This highlights the critical need to address modifiable risk factors like excessive salt intake, a key driver of high blood pressure. While salt is an essential nutrient, consuming too much can significantly increase blood pressure, putting individuals at greater risk of heart attack, stroke, and other CVDs. The recommended daily salt intake is less than 5 grams, yet most people consume considerably more. The new WHO Regional Office for Europe report "Action on Salt and Hypertension" underscores the alarming consequences of high salt intake and calls for decisive action. The dangers: ❤️Hypertension: Over one-third of adults aged 30–79 in the WHO European Region have hypertension. High salt intake is a leading cause, raising blood pressure and significantly increasing the risk of cardiovascular diseases such as heart attacks and strokes. ❤️Silent killer: #Hypertension, often asymptomatic, leads to nearly 25% of deaths and 13% of disability (e.g. paralysis, kidney failure, blindness, peripheral artery disease) in the region, making it the leading risk factor for death and disability. ❤️High salt intake: Shockingly, 52 out of 53 countries in the European Region consume salt well above the WHO-recommended maximum of 5 grams per day, primarily from processed and street foods. The only exception is Malta where people consume an average of 4.92 grams salt per day. The more substantial the reduction in salt consumption, the more notable the decrease in blood pressure: lowering salt intake can lead to a decline in CVD-related deaths and cardiovascular incidents like heart attacks. Managing hypertension through medication and addressing other risk factors can diminish the risk of death, CVD-related mortality, strokes, heart attacks, heart failure, and chronic kidney disease. A combination of population-level and individual-level strategies is essential. Effective, evidence-based guidelines and tools for diagnosing and managing hypertension and cardiovascular disease risk in primary care are available. However, these resources are not uniformly utilised throughout the WHO European Region, resulting in many individuals remaining at risk for CVD. Of its 142 pilot projects, #JACARDI will implement many innovative interventions targeting CVDs. These interventions will serve as proof-of-concept case studies and can potentially be scaled up to regional, national, or EU levels. How do you plan to reduce salt consumption? Let us know in the comments below. #EU4Health #HealthUnion #SaltIntake #HeartAttack #Stroke #HighBloodPressure Sources: find in the comments below