Harvard Health Content API

Both high and relatively low levels of sodium may be bad for some people, a new study suggests. It’s one of a few studies published recently that question whether a low-sodium diet is best for everyone. The new study included 30,000 people. Some had heart or artery disease. Others had a high risk of developing it. Researchers measured their total output of sodium in urine in a 24-hour period. This was used to estimate how much sodium they took in per day. Researchers kept track of them for the next 4 years. The most heart-related deaths and hospital stays for heart failure occurred among people with the highest and lowest levels of sodium in their urine. People with high sodium also had more heart attacks and strokes. People with a mid-range level of sodium had the fewest problems. But many of those in the lower-sodium group still consumed more sodium than recommended.

Statin drugs that lower LDL cholesterol are safe long term, an 11-year study concludes. The study found that the drugs lowered the risk of heart attack and strokes 23%. And they didn’t increase the risk of cancer or other diseases. More than 20,000 people were part of the study. All had an above average risk of heart disease and other blood vessel problems. They were randomly assigned to take either simvastatin (Zocor) or placebo (fake) pills. The original study lasted 5 years. After that, people who got the placebo at first could take the statin if a doctor prescribed it. Researchers kept track of people for another 6 years. They found no difference between the two groups in their rates of cancer or deaths from non-heart diseases. The journal Lancet published the study online. HealthDay News wrote about it November 22.

A form of home blood pressure monitoring may show which older adults are most at risk for a form of dementia, a new study suggests. The study included 72 people. Their average age was 82. Doctors gave them 2 tests. Each person wore a monitor for 24 hours. It measured their blood pressure at regular intervals, day and night. People also got magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans of the brain. They got the same tests again 2 years later. In the MRI, researchers looked for white spots known as white matter hyperintensities. These spots are signs of damage to small blood vessels. They have been linked with a reduction in memory and thinking skills. Some people’s home-measured blood pressure got worse during the 2-year study. They tended to have more white spots in the brain than people with lower blood pressure. They also did worse on tests of mental function.