Salt intake and Helicobacter pylori infection

Gareth et al.
Journal of Hypertension
ISSN: 0263-6352 • Frequency:12/year • Impact Factor: 5.132 • Subscribe Now

Both a high-salt diet and Helicobacter pylori infection are associated with hypertension. In the case of salt, the association is almost certainly causal. The association of H. pylori infection with hypertension is less likely to be causal and may be explained by other factors including low socio-economic status and residential overcrowding. Furthermore there does not seem to be a plausible mechanism whereby H. pylori might raise blood pressure. Both environmental factors have, however, also been implicated in the development of stomach cancer. We hypothesized therefore that a high salt intake might in some way facilitate H. pylori infection. If this is so, then H. pylori infection and salt intake might be closely correlated. We therefore conducted an ecological survey to study the international league tables for H. pylori infection and for salt intake

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