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| Tiny cut in salt may save lives, U.S. medical costs |
| Bloomberg |
| 1/22/2010 |
| WASHINGTON - Consuming just half a teaspoon less salt each day may save as many as 92,000 U.S. lives and as much as $24 billion in medical costs a year, a study found. A 3-gram daily salt reduction per person would lower annual cases of heart disease and stroke by about one-third, according to an analysis published yesterday in the New England Journal of Medicine. The authors used a computer-simulation model to estimate the change in consumption would save $10 billion to $24 billion in annual health-care costs from drugs and other treatments for high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease. Reducing salt intake would improve health as much as quitting smoking, losing weight, and taking medications for lowering cholesterol, the researchers found. Salt reduction lowers blood pressure, so a cutback of just 1 gram per day would have substantial benefits in about one-third of adults with high blood pressure, the study said. To see complete article go to: http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100122/NEWS32/1220341 |
| Additional Information: http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100122/NEWS32/1220341 |