Does sodium play an adverse role in hypertension?

It is clear that salt is known to be a health hazard from the ancient times. Sodium intake, which was minimal during evolution, increased significantly with the civilization. The rise in prevalence of hypertension in populations with increased consumption of salt suggested a casual relationship. However, several of these studies showed conflicting results. Many investigators agree that salt-sensitive persons often have a family history of hypertension. Such individuals possess a sodium transport inhibitor in the arterial smooth muscle cells, which affects their sodium handling (as compared to other persons). However, many of the putative defects related to sodium can be dissociated from blood pressure and sodium consumption status. It is possible that calcium defects of deficiency of potassium and magnesium follow hypertension and sodium status. For example, the pressure response to sodium chloride may be dissociated from sodium, which may be secondary to adverse effects of chloride on calcium homeostasis. Clinical studies also indicate that the role of sodium is controversial in hypertension. Sodium restriction can benefit salt-sensitive persons and might not otherwise. However, most authorities believe that moderation of salt intake to a relevant extent is justifiable. Large scale, long-term intervention studies and shortterm clinical studies in different communities, in the light of recently investigated dietary factors, are necessary to establish the role of sodium in essential hypertension.