Cardiovascular Diseases Deaths Attributable to High Sodium Intake in Shandong Province, China

Background High sodium intake elevates blood pressure and thereby raises cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Sodium intake is high in northern China, including Shandong province where the SMASH (Shandong‐Ministry of Health Action on Sodium and Hypertension) is currently underway. Methods and Results Blood pressure values and sodium intake measurements using 24‐hour urinary excretion were collected from the 2011 SMASH baseline survey, which was conducted in 20 counties/districts using a multistage stratified cluster random sampling method. We derived cause‐specific mortality from the Shandong Death Registration System (SDRS) during the same year and used population‐attributable fraction to estimate annual CVDs deaths attributable to high sodium intake (mediated through elevated systolic blood pressure) and CVD deaths averted by achieving different sodium‐reduction targets. Overall, 16 100 (95% uncertainty intervals, 11 000–22 600) CVD deaths among adults aged 25 to 69 years, including 5600 (4000–6500) for isch...