Many times people have been in critical condition just because they ate salty food.

The patient was admitted to the hospital most recently in October, when their blood pressure reached 200/100 mmHg, compared to the standard level of 120/80 mmHg. They have a history of hypertension for the past 10 years, along with other conditions such as heart disease, atherosclerosis, diabetes, and fatty liver disease.

What sets this patient apart is her habit of eating very salty food. Although she couldn't estimate her daily salt intake, she added MSG or salt to everything she prepared, even boiled dishes, and dipped them generously in fish sauce.

Another elderly person, 75 years old, had a routine health check-up and was found to have a rapid heart rate and high blood pressure of 140/90 mmHg. Their family has given up their habit of eating salty foods for the past two years after learning about the harmful effects of excessive salt intake on cardiovascular health.

"When I eat out at other places, I clearly feel that the food at home is saltier," she said. "However, the food tastes much more flavorful when it's saltier, so it's hard to give it up."

These are two of the 40 inpatients with hypertension and cardiovascular complications, along with other medical conditions, currently being treated at the Cardiology Department of Friendship Hospital. Head of Department Dr. Tran Thi Hai Ha stated:A high-salt (high-sodium) diet is one of the main causes of high blood pressure in patients.

According to the doctor, when the body consumes a lot of table salt (NaCl), sodium is metabolized into the muscle cells of the blood vessel walls, drawing water into the vessel wall cells, thereby increasing the muscle tone of the vessel walls, leading to vasoconstriction and increased blood pressure. High blood pressure then leads to complications such as heart and kidney problems, stroke, etc.

According to statistics from Friendship Hospital, out of approximately 400 patients who visited the hospital for examination and treatment in a week, 80-90% suffered from high blood pressure, and most were advised to switch to a low-salt diet to improve their condition.

According to Doctor Ha, the 77-year-old woman, who had been hospitalized four times before, was treated with medication and a special diet including low-salt foods. After 14 days in the hospital, her health improved and her blood pressure decreased. "However, upon returning home, the patient did not control her diet, causing her blood pressure to rise again," the doctor said.

On the fifth occasion, the elderly woman was prescribed a personalized diet plan by the doctor, consisting of six meals a day: three main meals of only porridge and three snacks of fruit. She was instructed to eat bland food, avoid oily or fatty foods, and refrain from eating outside. After a week, her blood pressure decreased.

"Eating too much salt contributes to an increased incidence of hypertension and mortality from cardiovascular diseases," said Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Van Thuan.

Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death worldwide, accounting for 30% of all global deaths, primarily due to cerebrovascular disease and ischemic heart disease. One in five adults suffers from hypertension, and one in three deaths is due to cardiovascular disease. Kidong Park, WHO Representative in Vietnam, stated that 4.1 million people die worldwide each year due to excessive salt intake.

Dr. Nguyen Thi Tam, Head of the Nutrition Department at Friendship Hospital, noted that many people believe that salty dishes are more flavorful and delicious, but this is inadvertently a cause of illness. Eating salty food primarily increases blood pressure, which is a precursor to other diseases.

High blood pressure is no longer limited to the elderly as it once was, but is now being detected in many young and middle-aged people, mainly due to lifestyle and diet.

Doctor Tam commented,In treatment, diet is just as important as medication."If you consume the recommended amount of sodium, less than 5g a day, you can reduce high blood pressure after just a few months."

Sodium comes from two sources: naturally occurring in food and seasonings. When adding seasonings, you can estimate that each teaspoon (yogurt spoon) is equivalent to 1 gram.

According to doctors, developing a habit of eating less salt is not easy, so it's best to switch gradually to avoid unpleasant taste sensations. Processed foods such as cured meats, sausages, and pickled vegetables should be avoided – foods with high salt content.