| Many patients with hypertension are sodium | | | | has defined the terms used in sodium labeling: |
| sensitive, meaning their blood pressure increases | | | | * Sodium-Free : less than 5 mg of sodium per |
| after they consume excessive amounts of | | | | serving. |
| sodium and decreases after they reduce their | | | | * Very Low Sodium: 35 mg or less per serving. |
| sodium intake. Such patients may be prescribed a | | | | * Low Sodium: 140 mg or less per serving. |
| sodiumrestricted diet, which usually limits sodium | | | | * Reduced Sodium: sodium content reduced by at |
| consumption to 2 grams a day. | | | | least 25% of usual level. |
| If your patient must comply with such a diet, help | | | | * Light Sodium: sodium content reduced by at |
| him make the change. Along with his dietitian, | | | | least 50% of usual level. |
| provide nutritional counseling soon after his | | | | * Without Added Salt, Unsalted, or no Added Salt: |
| hypertension is diagnosed. Include the family or | | | | foods once processed with salt and now |
| caregiver in your teaching, especially if she | | | | processed without it. (These foods must list the |
| prepares the patient's food at home. | | | | amount of sodium per serving.) |
| Sources of Sodium | | | | Caution your patient about foods that claim to be |
| Your patient must understand which foods and | | | | low in sodium. If the sodium content is less than 5 |
| drugs contain sodium. Explain that the most | | | | mg per serving, he can eat the food without |
| common sources of sodium are table salt, | | | | concern. If it's higher than 5 mg, he'll need to |
| processed foods, drugs, and softened water. | | | | include the amount in his calculation of sodium |
| Table Salt | | | | intake for the day. |
| Advise your patient to avoid using table salt during | | | | Drugs |
| food preparation and tell him not to add salt to his | | | | Show your patient how to check labels for the |
| food. Common table salt consists of 40% sodium | | | | sodium content of over-the-counter drugs such |
| and 60% chloride, so if he takes in 6 grams of | | | | as antacids, cough syrups, and laxatives. For other |
| salt, he's actually consuming 2.4 grams of sodium. | | | | drugs, advise him to check with his pharmacist. If |
| Foods | | | | necessary, he should ask his physician or |
| Explain that some foods, such as beef and dairy | | | | pharmacist to recommend alternative drugs with |
| products, naturally contain sodium. Other foods | | | | little or no sodium. |
| are processed with sodium to enhance the flavor | | | | Water |
| or prolong the shelf life. Preserved or processed | | | | Natural and softened water can be high in sodium. |
| foods include pickles, canned vegetables, soups, | | | | A patient following a severely sodium-restricted |
| and gravy. Tell him to be alert for products that | | | | diet should investigate the sodium content of his |
| list sodium ingredients such as sodium benzoate | | | | drinking water by contacting his water company |
| and sodium citrate. | | | | or local public health department. Then he should |
| Also, teach your hypertensive patient how to | | | | discuss this information with his physician. |
| read food labels for sodium content. To reduce | | | | Depending on how much sodium is in the water, |
| confusion and regulate what manufacturers put | | | | he may be advised to drink and cook with distilled |
| on food labels, the Food and Drug Administration | | | | water. |