Nutrition in cardiovascular disease: salt in hypertension and heart failure.

There is much evidence for a causal relationship between salt intake and blood pressure (BP). The current salt intake in many countries is between 9 and 12 g/day. A reduction in salt intake to the recommended level of 5-6 g/day lowers BP in both hypertensive and normotensive individuals. A further reduction to 3-4 g/day has a much greater effect. Prospective studies and outcome trials have demonstrated that a lower salt intake is associated with a decreased risk of cardiovascular disease. Increasing evidence also suggests that a high salt intake is directly related to left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) independent of BP. Both raised BP and LVH are important risk factors for heart failure. It is therefore possible that a lower salt intake could prevent the development of heart failure. In patients who already have heart failure, a high salt intake aggravates the retention of salt and water, thereby exacerbating heart failure symptoms and progression of the disease. A lower salt intake plays an important role in the management of heart failure. Despite this, currently there is no clear evidence on how far salt intake should be reduced in heart failure. Our personal view is that these patients should reduce their salt intake to <5 g/day, i.e. the maximum intake recommended by the World Health Organisation for all adults. If salt intake is successfully reduced, there may well be a need for a reduction in diuretic dosage.

Acute supra-therapeutic oral terbutaline administration has no ergogenic effect in non-asthmatic athletes.

This study aimed to investigate the effects on a possible improvement in aerobic and anaerobic performance of oral terbutaline (TER) at a supra-therapeutic dose in 7 healthy competitive male athletes. On day 1, ventilatory threshold, maximum oxygen uptake [Formula: see text] and corresponding power output were measured and used to determine the exercise load on days 2 and 3. On days 2 and 3, 8 mg of TER or placebo were orally administered in a double-blind process to athletes who rested for 3 h, and then performed a battery of tests including a force-velocity exercise test, running sprint and a maximal endurance cycling test at Δ50 % (50 % between VT and [Formula: see text]). Lactatemia, anaerobic parameters and endurance performance ([Formula: see text] and time until exhaustion) were raised during the corresponding tests. We found that TER administration did not improve any of the parameters of aerobic performance (p > 0.05). In addition, no change in [Formula: see text] kinetic parameters was found with TER compared to placebo (p > 0.05). Moreover, no enhancement of the force-velocity relationship was observed during sprint exercises after TER intake (p > 0.05) and, on the contrary, maximal strength decreased significantly after TER intake (p < 0.05) but maximal power remained unchanged (p > 0.05). In conclusion, oral acute administration of TER at a supra-therapeutic dose seems to be without any relevant ergogenic effect on anaerobic and aerobic performances in healthy athletes. However, all participants experienced adverse side effects such as tremors.

Heart to Heart, March 2010

Heart to Heart is a publication on new heart disease and stroke information and other related topics by the Department of Public Health.

Heart to Heart, April 2010

Heart to Heart is a publication on new heart disease and stroke information and other related topics by the Department of Public Health.

Heart to Heart, May 2010

Heart to Heart is a publication on new heart disease and stroke information and other related topics by the Department of Public Health.

Heart to Heart, June 2010

Heart to Heart is a publication on new heart disease and stroke information and other related topics by the Department of Public Health.

Heart to Heart, June 2010

Heart to Heart is a publication on new heart disease and stroke information and other related topics by the Department of Public Health.

Heart to Heart, July 2010

Heart to Heart is a publication on new heart disease and stroke information and other related topics by the Department of Public Health.

Heart to Heart, August 2010

Heart to Heart is a publication on new heart disease and stroke information and other related topics by the Department of Public Health.

Heart to Heart, September 2010

Heart to Heart is a publication on new heart disease and stroke information and other related topics by the Department of Public Health.

Heart to Heart, October 2010

Heart to Heart is a publication on new heart disease and stroke information and other related topics by the Department of Public Health.

Heart to Heart, November 2010

Heart to Heart is a publication on new heart disease and stroke information and other related topics by the Department of Public Health.

Heart to Heart, December 2010

Heart to Heart is a publication on new heart disease and stroke information and other related topics by the Department of Public Health.

Heart to Heart, January 2011

Heart to Heart is a publication on new heart disease and stroke information and other related topics by the Department of Public Health.

Heart to Heart, February 2011

Heart to Heart is a publication on new heart disease and stroke information and other related topics by the Department of Public Health.