Neal B, Wu Y, Feng X, et al. - Use of a salt substitute (75% sodium chloride and 25% potassium chloride by mass) resulted in lower rates of stroke, major cardiovascular events, and death from any cause, in comparison to use of regular salt (100% sodium chloride), in persons who had a history of stroke or were 60 years of age or older and had high blood pressure.

• This is an open-label, cluster-randomized trial including individuals from 600 villages in rural China.

• Participants (n=20,995) had a history of stroke or were 60 years of age or older and had high blood pressure, and were randomized to receive a salt substitute (75% sodium chloride and 25% potassium chloride by mass), or regular salt (100% sodium chloride).

• The salt substitute, vs regular salt, provided a lower rate of stroke (29.14 events vs 33.65 events per 1000 person-years; rate ratio, 0.86).

• In addition, use of the salt substitute conferred lower rates of major cardiovascular events (49.09 events vs 56.29 events per 1000 person-years; rate ratio, 0.87) and death (39.28 events vs 44.61 events per 1000 person-years; rate ratio, 0.88).

• No significantly higher rate of serious adverse events due to hyperkalemia was evident with the salt substitute than with regular salt.