It’s a fact that people with high cholesterol are candidates for strokes and heart diseases than those with the lower cholesterol level. If there is a medicine to lower downs the cholesterol that may help in lowering the chances of strokes and heart attacks as well. Estrogen can help in lowering down the cholesterol level thus it lessens the risk of having a heart attack or stroke too. Those with high blood pressure or hypertension have a higher risk of stroke and heart attack, but does that mean foods that raise the blood pressure may increase the chances of having stroke or heart attack?

Clinical outcome vs. intermediate outcome

There is confusion between clinical outcome and intermediate outcome. The clinical outcome is about a patient that notices herself and that affects her life directly such as in the case of stroke or heart attack, while the intermediate outcome is about the measurement of the doctor and that doesn’t cause signs like high blood pressure, high cholesterol level or low bone density. The intermediate outcomes may be a high risk factor for clinical outcomes, but people shouldn’t be confused between the 2.

The relationship of salt

There are actually proofs stating that eating more salt can raise the blood pressure of an individual, so a lot of doctors have always made the presumption that eating more salt can boost the risk of stroke and heart attack as well. But they have seen estrogen and other examples in terms of predicting the effects on clinical results from intermediate outcomes that are often right.

The evidence

In year 2005, the US DA & DHHS would like to revise the dietary recommendations for salt intake. With the little scientific proof that they had, what they did was just simple. They have found out that 1500mg of sodium intake every day is the minimum required for proper nutrition. They have discovered as well that with everyday intake of sodium more than 2300mg, which is around 1 tsp. of salt, blood pressure, will start to arise. With this, the US recommendations starting year 2005 have been changed, according to them everyone must eat foods with no more than 2300mg of sodium daily and that people who are at risk of stroke and heart attack shouldn’t go beyond 1500mg.

Now, how’s the health of the people doing? On an average basis, Americans usually take more than 3400mg of sodium daily, which is beyond the recommended level. The consumers must be educated regarding the daily sodium required for them and restaurants should refrain from using high sodium ingredients for the foods that they serve.

According to IOM they were mandated or appointed to go over the studies that are related to the effects of sodium to the health of the people. Their report was released just recently. They came to the conclusion that there is a link between salt and people’s poor health.  With this, test came out a result that they have found out that people’s salt intake is very low and that may badly affect the health of the people.