Dec, 25, 2013 – Salt in Medications

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ANCHOR LEAD: PRESCRIPTION MEDICATIONS CONTAINING SODIUM HAVE BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH AN INCREASED RATE OF DEATH, ELIZABETH TRACEY REPORTS

Did you know that many prescription drugs contain large amounts of sodium? A recent study in the Lancet showed that these formulations are also associated with an increased risk of death. Lawrence Appel, a salt and diet expert at Johns Hopkins, describes the study.

APPEL: Individuals who were prescribed a sodium containing product were compared to individuals who didn’t have a sodium containing product and there were worse outcomes in the people who had the sodium containing products. As part of the study of course they tried to account for other factors, it might be that these people were sicker beforehand. They adjusted for all of these variables and it still persisted in the end. It was probably the first major study of its kind, its consistent with what we know, which is that higher sodium raises blood pressure, probably has bad outcomes. :31

So ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist about sodium in medications. At Johns Hopkins, I’m Elizabeth Tracey.