How does salt contribute to hypertension?

This question has been posted in these health communities: Hypertension/High Blood Pressure

Q: How does salt contribute to hypertension?

My doctor has suggested that I switch to a low sodium diet. I would like to understand how this will help with my high blood pressure.

Angela Peris (Critical Care Nurse)
Health Professional

I am a Critical Care nurse, trained at Concord Hospital - NSW Australia - I have worked in many Intensive & Coronary Care units in ... View profile
The simplest way to explain this mechanism is ……
Salt draws water in to the cells. It retains water within the body. Extra water increases blood volume. When there is an increase in the blood volume, it makes the heart work harder. When you suffer from high blood pressure, your heart is already working harder to push the blood through the narrowed arteries and trying to get the blood around the body due to excess boidy mass. By having extra salt which retains and increases your water, will make your heart work harder. When the heart muscle have to push blood against extra resisitance (due to high blood pressure) your heart muscle can get thincker - like when you lift weights your muscles in the upper arm gets thicker. Yet, when this happens in the pumping chamber (Left Ventricle) it becomes inefficient in pumping enough blood through the body.

This is the reason medical practitioners would recommend you to keep your salt intake down and switch to a low sodium diet.

Hope this answers your question.
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