Two Techniques to Improve Adherence to Dietary Sodium Restriction in the Treatment of Hypertension

To improve adherence to dietary sodium restriction, we validated two simple techniques for providing rapid and accurate estimates of urinary content—overnight urine collections and an immediate analysis of urine sodium content. These techniques were then applied in a trial with a group of patients with hypertension who were considered to be resistant to the adoption of dietary changes. After six months, 68% of the patients on the lower-sodium diet reduced their urine sodium content by one third or more. They had an 11-mm Hg fall in mean BP compared with a 3-mm Hg rise in the control group, who were not on a lower-sodium diet, and a lesser fall in plasma potassium levels.