Too early to attach blanket health warnings to all drugs containing sodium, irrespective of conjugate anion

George and colleagues postulate that increased oral sodium load raises blood pressure, thus precipitating the adverse cardiovascular outcomes observed.1 This explanation is intuitive, cogent, and attractive but more complex processes may be at work. Not all sodium salts have a hypertensive effect. It has been well established since the 1980s that the pressor effect associated with sodium salts is restricted to sodium chloride and other halides. It does not occur with non-halide sodium salts.2 3 4 5 …