The role of restriction of sodium intake in the treatment of heart failure in the elderly.

For the vast majority of elderly patients with chronic heart failure, clinically effective dietary sodium restriction can be achieved in a diet that remains nutritious and palatable. Obtaining a thorough diet history is the initial step in devising a low-sodium regimen. Then, the nutritionist and patient can work together to develop a dietary regimen that is culturally, economically, and medically acceptable. Although the availability of potent medications has markedly altered the medical approach to chronic congestive heart failure, their use is not without risk. Thus, dietary management continues to be a useful strategy in the treatment of this condition.