Editorial Commentary Sodium, Left Ventricular Mass, and Arterial Hypertension Is It Time to Look for a New Paradigm?

Western dietary habits, based on processed foods high insodium (Na) and low in potassium (K), has been linked to the increasing prevalence and incidence of arterial hypertension.1,2 Accordingly, both the 24-hour urinary Na and Na/K excretion, which reflect the dietary amount of these 2 electrolytes, have been shown to have significant direct relations with blood pressure (BP).1,2 Thus, high salt intake harms the cardiovascular system by raising BP and might be directly responsible for increasing left ventricular (LV) mass, as suggested in clinical and experimental stud-ies.3,4 Low K intake is thought to amplify the harmful effects of Na intake.5 Consistent with this scenario, there is also evidence that high salt intake aggravates and, conversely, dietary salt restriction prevents (or at least mitigates) LV hypertrophy in patients with essential hypertension. There are open and still controversial questions on this issue concernin