Dietary Sodium Reduction Counselling and Blood Pressure Control in Hypertensive Outpatients: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract

Background: Excess dietary sodium is a major, modifiable driver of elevated blood pressure, and counselling is central to
achieving reduction in outpatient care. Objective: To synthesise trial evidence on whether sodium-reduction counselling lowers
blood pressure in hypertensive outpatients. Methods: Narrative review of randomized trials, systematic reviews/meta-analyses,
and mechanistic studies from PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Europe PMC. Findings: Sodium restriction, alone or within
DASH-based counselling, produces meaningful systolic reductions, with behavioural counselling achieving smaller but durable
effects than efficacy trials. Conclusions: Individualised dietary counselling is an evidence-supported, underused adjunct to
pharmacotherapy for hypertension control.