A major study in China has found that switching to a salt substitute could protect thousands from heart attacks and strokes each year. The research involved over 20,000 participants who had previously suffered a stroke or were over 60 and had high blood pressure.
Half of the participants were asked to consume a salt substitute containing 70% sodium chloride and 30% potassium chloride for five years, while the other half continued using regular salt. The scientists found that those who used the substitute were 14% less likely to have a stroke or heart attack.
The results showed there were 29.14 strokes per 1,000 people among those who consumed the salt substitute, compared to 33.65 among those who used regular salt. For heart attacks, there were 49.09 per 1,000 people among those who consumed the substitute, and 56.29 among those who used regular salt.
The new study was published in the New England Journal of Medicine, as reported by the British Daily Mail.
