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Dietary electrolytes and cardiovascular disease.

Article Excerpt
Continuing education and the APD program

This quiz is an ideal activity for APD members to include in your CPD log, where it relates to personal learning goals. Record the time taken, to the nearest hour, to complete the quiz and any associated research.

INTRODUCTION

A number of dietary electrolytes have been associated with a rise in blood pressure (BP). Raised BP is a major, preventable risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD), including stroke, coronary heart disease, heart failure, peripheral vascular disease and kidney failure. (1) The risk of CVD increases as the level of BP increases. In addition to the physiological effects resulting from variations in the intakes of electrolytes, there may be significant interactions between these electrolytes that affect CVD risk. This continuing education quiz refers to the findings of the Summary of Evidence review on dietary electrolytes, blood pressure and CVD conducted by the National Heart Foundation of Australia in 2006. (2) The electrolytes considered were sodium, potassium, magnesium and calcium.

1. Which statement best describes the evidence relating to calcium and BP or CVD, and magnesium and BP or CVD?

a. There is evidence for a relationship between magnesium and BP but not for calcium and BP

b. There is no evidence to support an association between magnesium and BP or CVD, but evidence to support an association between calcium and BP

c. There is no evidence to support a relationship between calcium and BP, or for an association between magnesium and BP or CVD

d. There is evidence to support a relationship between magnesium and BP, and calcium and BP, but no evidence to support an association between magnesium and CVD

2. The National Heart Foundation of Australia recommends all Australians reduce their salt intake to less than 6 g of salt a day. This amount of salt is equal to

a. 2000 mg of sodium

b. 2300 mg of sodium

c. 3200 mg of sodium

d. 1600 mg of sodium

3. There is good evidence to show that a reduction in dietary sodium of approximately 1700 mg/day results in a fall of...