Reduction of dietary sodium for heart failure: a step forward

Abstract

In the early 1950s, the cornerstone of therapy for heart failure was based on three foundational pillars: digoxin, mercurial diuretics, and low sodium intake. 1 Stock RJ Mudge GH Nurnberg MJ Congestive heart failure; variations in electrolyte metabolism with salt restriction and mercurial diuretics. Circulation. 1951; 4: 54-60 Google Scholar Fortunately, in the subsequent decades, cardiologists have witnessed the emergence of several disruptive therapies that have enabled impressive improvements in the quality of life and survival for patients with heart failure. It is surprising and disappointing that little headway in our understanding of dietary therapies has been made, and that they still have low effectiveness. However, the SODIUM-HF trial, reported by Justin Ezekowitz and colleagues 2 Ezekowitz JA Colin-Ramirez E Ross H et al. Reduction of dietary sodium to less than 100 mmol in heart failure (SODIUM-HF): an international, open-label, randomised, controlled trial. Lancet. 2022; (published online April 2.)https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(22)00369-5 Google Scholar in The Lancet is a randomised, multicentre, open-label trial that is a step forwards in dietary therapies for heart failure. Ezekowitz and colleagues should be congratulated for trying to answer a fundamental question: does restriction of dietary sodium restriction have a clinically meaningful effect in patients with heart failure? Reduction of dietary sodium to less than 100 mmol in heart failure (SODIUM-HF): an international, open-label, randomised, controlled trialIn ambulatory patients with heart failure, a dietary intervention to reduce sodium intake did not reduce clinical events. Full-Text PDF