Salt in the diet in patients with heart failure: what to recommend. Curr Opin Cardiol. 2016;31:196-203. [PMID: 26595701 DOI: 10.1097/hco.0000000000000253]

Sodium Restriction in Patients With Heart Failure: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials

BACKGROUND

Sodium restriction is a nonpharmacologic treatment suggested by practice guidelines for the management of patients with heart failure (HF). In this study, we synthesized the data from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating the effects of sodium restriction on clinical outcomes in patients with HF.

METHODS

In this aggregate data meta-analysis, Cochrane Central, MEDLINE (Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online), Embase Ovid, and CINAHL (Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature) Plus databases were searched up to April 2, 2022. RCTs were included if they investigated the effects of sodium/salt restriction as compared to no restriction on clinical outcomes in patients with HF. Outcomes of interest included mortality, hospitalization, change in New York Heart Association functional class, and quality of life (QoL).

RESULTS

Seventeen RCTs were identified (834 and 871 patients in intervention and control groups, respectively). Sodium restriction did not reduce the risk of all-cause death (odds ratio, 0.95 [95% CI, 0.58-1.58]), hospitalization (odds ratio, 0.84 [95% CI, 0.62-1.13]), or the composite of death/hospitalization (odds ratio, 0.88 [95% CI, 0.63-1.23]). The results were similar in different subgroups, except for the numerically lower risk of death with reduced sodium intake reported in RCTs with dietary sodium at the 2000 to 3000 mg/d range as opposed to <2000 mg/d (and in RCTs with versus without fluid restriction as a co-intervention). Among RCTs reporting New York Heart Association change, 2 RCTs (which accounted for two-thirds of the data) showed improvement in New York Heart Association class with sodium restriction. Substantial heterogeneity existed for QoL: 6 RCTs showed improvement of QoL and 4 RCTs showed no improvement of sodium restriction on QoL.

CONCLUSIONS

In a meta-analysis of RCTs, sodium restriction was not associated with fewer deaths or hospitalizations in patients with HF. Dietary sodium restriction may be associated with improvements in symptoms and QoL.

Prescription, Compliance, and Burden Associated with Salt-Restricted Diets in Heart Failure Patients: Results from the French National OFICSel Observatory

(1) Background: There is much debate about the use of salt-restricted diet for managing heart failure (HF). Dietary guidelines are inconsistent and lack evidence. (2) Method: The OFICSel observatory collected data about adults hospitalised for HF. The data, collected using study-specific surveys, were used to describe HF management, including diets, from the cardiologists’ and patients’ perspectives. Cardiologists provided the patients’ clinical, biological, echocardiography, and treatment data, while the patients provided dietary, medical history, sociodemographic, morphometric, quality of life, and burden data (burden scale in restricted diets (BIRD) questionnaire). The differences between the diet recommended by the cardiologist, understood by the patient, and the estimated salt intake (by the patient) and diet burden were assessed. (3) Results: Between March and June 2017, 300 cardiologists enrolled 2822 patients. Most patients (90%) were recommended diets with <6 g of salt/day. Mean daily salt consumption was 4.7 g (standard deviation (SD): 2.4). Only 33% of patients complied with their recommended diet, 34% over-complied, and 19% under-complied (14% unknown). Dietary restrictions in HF patients were associated with increased burden (mean BIRD score of 8.1/48 [SD: 8.8]). (4) Conclusion: Healthcare professionals do not always follow dietary recommendations, and their patients do not always understand and comply with diets recommended. Restrictive diets in HF patients are associated with increased burden. An evidence-based approach to developing and recommending HF-specific diets is required.

A multinational registry to study the characteristics and outcomes of heart failure patients: The global congestive heart failure (G-CHF) registry

The goal of the global congestive heart failure (G-CHF) registry is to collect comparative international data on heart failure characteristics, management, and outcomes and to better understand the determinants that impact the clinical course of heart failure. METHODS: G-CHF is a multicenter, prospective cohort study of adult patients with a new or prior clinical diagnosis of heart failure. We have enrolled 23,047 participants from 257 centers in 40 countries from 8 major geographic regions of the world, with recruitment ongoing. Approximately 4,000 participants will also participate in substudies to assess frailty, comorbidity, diet, barriers to care, biomarkers, and planned detailed echocardiographic analyses. Follow-up is planned for a period of 5 years. The primary outcome is cause-specific mortality. Key secondary outcomes include hospitalizations, quality of life, and major cardiovascular and noncardiovascular outcomes. A total of 31.9% of participants were enrolled as inpatients. Thus far, mean age of the cohort at baseline is 63.1 years, and 60.8% are male. Participants most commonly have heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (53.6%) followed by preserved ejection fraction (24.2%) and midrange ejection fraction (20.6%). The most common causes of heart failure are ischemic (37.8%) followed by hypertensive (20.0%), idiopathic (15.1%), and valvular disease (8.8%). CONCLUSION: G-CHF will provide a greater understanding of the characteristics of the global heart failure population, variations in its management, clinical outcomes, and what continues to impact morbidity and mortality in this high-risk population.

Sodium Intake and Target Organ Damage in Hypertension-An Update about the Role of a Real Villain

Salt intake is too high for safety nowadays. The main active ion in salt is sodium. The vast majority of scientific evidence points out the importance of sodium restriction for decreasing cardiovascular risk. International Guidelines recommend a large reduction in sodium consumption to help reduce blood pressure, organ damage, and cardiovascular risk. Regulatory authorities across the globe suggest a general restriction of sodium intake to prevent cardiovascular diseases. In spite of this seemingly unanimous consensus, some researchers claim to have evidence of the unhealthy effects of a reduction of sodium intake, and have data to support their claims. Evidence is against dissenting scientists, because prospective, observational, and basic research studies indicate that sodium is the real villain: actual sodium consumption around the globe is far higher than the safe range. Sodium intake is directly related to increased blood pressure, and independently to the enlargement of cardiac mass, with a possible independent role in inducing left ventricular hypertrophy. This may represent the basis of myocardial ischemia, congestive heart failure, and cardiac mortality. Although debated, a high sodium intake may induce initial renal damage and progression in both hypertensive and normotensive subjects. Conversely, there is general agreement about the adverse role of sodium in cerebrovascular disease. These factors point to the possible main role of sodium intake in target organ damage and cardiovascular events including mortality. This review will endeavor to outline the existing evidence.

Heart failure drug treatment

Heart failure is the most common cardiovascular reason for hospital admission for people older than 60 years of age. Few areas in medicine have progressed as remarkably as heart failure treatment over the past three decades. However, progress has been consistent only for chronic heart failure with reduced ejection fraction. In acutely decompensated heart failure and heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, none of the treatments tested to date have been definitively proven to improve survival. Delaying or preventing heart failure has become increasingly important in patients who are prone to heart failure. The prevention of worsening chronic heart failure and hospitalisations for acute decompensation is also of great importance. The objective of this Series paper is to provide a concise and practical summary of the available drug treatments for heart failure. We support the implementation of the international guidelines. We offer views on the basis of our personal experience in research areas that have insufficient evidence. The best possible evidence-based drug treatment (including inhibitors of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system and β blockers) is useful only when optimally implemented. However, implementation might be challenging. We believe that disease management programmes can be helpful in providing a multidisciplinary, holistic approach to the delivery of optimal medical care.

The use of diuretics in heart failure with congestion - a position statement from the Heart Failure Association of the European Society of Cardiology

The vast majority of acute heart failure episodes are characterized by increasing symptoms and signs of congestion with volume overload. The goal of therapy in those patients is the relief of congestion through achieving a state of euvolaemia, mainly through the use of diuretic therapy. The appropriate use of diuretics however remains challenging, especially when worsening renal function, diuretic resistance and electrolyte disturbances occur. This position paper focuses on the use of diuretics in heart failure with congestion. The manuscript addresses frequently encountered challenges, such as (i) evaluation of congestion and clinical euvolaemia, (ii) assessment of diuretic response/resistance in the treatment of acute heart failure, (iii) an approach towards stepped pharmacologic diuretic strategies, based upon diuretic response, and (iv) management of common electrolyte disturbances. Recommendations are made in line with available guidelines, evidence and expert opinion.

Fluid balance concepts in medicine: Principles and practice

The regulation of body fluid balance is a key concern in health and disease and comprises three concepts. The first concept pertains to the relationship between total body water (TBW) and total effective solute and is expressed in terms of the tonicity of the body fluids. Disturbances in tonicity are the main factor responsible for changes in cell volume, which can critically affect brain cell function and survival. Solutes distributed almost exclusively in the extracellular compartment (mainly sodium salts) and in the intracellular compartment (mainly potassium salts) contribute to tonicity, while solutes distributed in TBW have no effect on tonicity. The second body fluid balance concept relates to the regulation and measurement of abnormalities of sodium salt balance and extracellular volume. Estimation of extracellular volume is more complex and error prone than measurement of TBW. A key function of extracellular volume, which is defined as the effective arterial blood volume (EABV), is to ensure adequate perfusion of cells and organs. Other factors, including cardiac output, total and regional capacity of both arteries and veins, Starling forces in the capillaries, and gravity also affect the EABV. Collectively, these factors interact closely with extracellular volume and some of them undergo substantial changes in certain acute and chronic severe illnesses. Their changes result not only in extracellular volume expansion, but in the need for a larger extracellular volume compared with that of healthy individuals. Assessing extracellular volume in severe illness is challenging because the estimates of this volume by commonly used methods are prone to large errors in many illnesses. In addition, the optimal extracellular volume may vary from illness to illness, is only partially based on volume measurements by traditional methods, and has not been determined for each illness. Further research is needed to determine optimal extracellular volume levels in several illnesses. For these reasons, extracellular volume in severe illness merits a separate third concept of body fluid balance.

Dietary Self-management in Heart Failure: High Tech or High Touch?

OPINION STATEMENT

Dietary management of heart failure (HF) has largely been focused on sodium and fluid restrictions. Although safety and efficacy of these interventions in HF remain unclear, a daily sodium intake between 2000 and 3000 mg/day appears to be safe in these patients. Ongoing clinical research will inform on the safety and efficacy of a more restrictive sodium intake to less than 1500 mg/day. Data shows that routine fluid restriction in HF regardless of symptoms may be unnecessary; however, in patients with signs of congestion, fluid restriction to 2.0 L/day may be advisable. Recently, more attention has been paid to other nutritional aspects of HF beyond sodium and fluid intake, although there is still little evidence available to guide nutritional management of HF. Assuring that patients meet daily requirements for key micronutrients, such as calcium, magnesium, potassium, folate, vitamin E, vitamin D, zinc, and thiamine, is essential in order to prevent deficiencies. More appropriate macronutrient composition of the diet is still to be determined; however, a diet containing 50-55% carbohydrates, 25-30% fat, and 15-20% protein seems acceptable for patients with HF with or without non-end-stage renal disease. Additionally, increased protein intake may be considered in malnourished/cachectic patients. Consulting a registered dietitian is especially helpful for patients with recent HF exacerbations or for patients with multiple comorbidities who may need to follow several dietary restrictions and may benefit of individualized dietary counseling in order to ensure appropriate intake of energy, protein, and micronutrients. Today, there are still several knowledge gaps in guiding the dietary management of HF. In this article, we review current recommendations for the dietary management of HF and the evidence supporting this practice.