geoffrey modest medical blogs

  A recent Chinese study found that changing regular salt to a salt substitute with 75% sodium chloride and 25% potassium chloride in patients with a prior stroke was associated with a reduced risk of stroke recurrence and death: see   htn salt substitute dec stroke JAMAcardiol2025  in dropbox, or doi:10.1001/jamacardio.2024.5417, in a subgroup analysis of the SSaSS   study  (Salt Substitute and Stroke Study)   Details: --15,249 people who had had a self-reported stroke in 600 Northern Chinese villages in this open-label, cluster randomized clinical trial     -- these villages were randomized to either continuing regular salt (100% sodium chloride) versus a salt substitute (75% sodium chloride and 25% potassium chloride) --baseline data was collected on participants of their demographics, disease history, medication use, and salt-related knowledge and behaviors; also 24-hour urinary sodium and potassium excretions were measured alon...

  A large Chinese trial found that using salt substitutes with a high potassium level not only lowered blood pressure but decreased the risk of stroke, major cardiovascular events, and death from any cause, in the Salt Substitute and Stroke Study (SSaSS): see  htn salt substitute china nejm2021   in dropbox, orDOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa2111437   Details :  -- 20,995 people were involved in an open-label, cluster-randomized trial from 600 villages in rural China, with the goals of recruiting approximately 35 persons from each village and to follow them for five years  -- all had a history of stroke or were >60yo and had hypertension, the latter defined as systolic blood pressure >140 mmHg if on blood pressure lowering medication or >160  mmHg  if not -- exclusion criteria included known serious kidney disease, use of a potassium sparing diuretic, or use of a potassium supplement -- mean age 65 years, 50% female, 73% history of stroke, 88% history...