A prescription for sodium

In 2007, Blood Pressure Canada, with the endorsement of many national health care organizations, released a national policy on sodium,1 which recommended a reduction in daily adequate sodium intake to 1500 mg, with a maximum of 2300 mg. In response, the federal Minister of Health set up a sodium reduction working group comprising a 24-member panel from government, health care, and food industries. The group first met in February 2008 and was due to report this spring. Its mandate is to assist in reducing the daily intake of sodium of Canadians.

These new goals were reflected in the new Canadian Hypertension Education Program recommendations published in the July issue of Canadian Family Physician.2 On the subject of lifestyle modifications, the group states the following: “Unfortunately, after a diagnosis of hypertension few Canadians improve their lifestyles; however, simple and brief interventions by health care professionals increase the probability of patients making lifestyle changes.”2

We advocate providing all hypertension patients with a prescription for sodium, which should say, “Read the label! SODIUM—200 mg per serving for a total of 1500 mg per day.”

This would have several advantages as a brief intervention:

• it would provide clear concise directions (200 mg/serving, 1500 mg/d);

• it would introduce the term sodium (some patients know they should reduce their salt intake, but are confused by sodium use);

• it would provide numbers and units of measure that precisely reflect current terminology, helping with label reading; and

• it would only require a prescription pad or a prescription printed from an electronic medical record. Family physicians would not need another pamphlet to add to the numerous tear-off sheets, requisitions, referral forms, application forms, and report forms that fill up office space.

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