In the nutrition management of hypertension, why is a low-sodium diet typically prescribed?

• A. To prevent iron deficiency anemia by improving intestinal iron absorption
• B. To directly increase cardiac contractility and thereby normalize blood pressure
• C. To increase aldosterone secretion, which promotes sodium excretion and lowers blood pressure
• D. To reduce extracellular fluid volume and lower blood pressure by decreasing water retention

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that hypertension (high blood pressure) is often influenced by the volume of extracellular fluid in the body, which affects blood pressure levels.
2. Recognize that sodium plays a key role in regulating extracellular fluid volume because sodium attracts and holds water in the body.
3. Know that a high sodium intake leads to increased water retention, which raises the volume of fluid in blood vessels, thereby increasing blood pressure.
4. A low-sodium diet reduces sodium levels in the body, which decreases water retention and thus lowers the extracellular fluid volume.
5. This reduction in fluid volume helps to lower blood pressure, making a low-sodium diet an effective nutritional strategy in managing hypertension.