Eating a high-salt diet for several years is associated with markers of blood vessel damage like high uric acid and presence of albumin in the urine.  People with any of these markers of blood vessel damage, who eat a high-salt diet, are more likely to develop high blood pressure.

The study published in the journal Circulation analyzed the association between sodium consumption and blood levels of uric acid and albumin in the urine — both markers of blood vessel damage — in participants not taking high blood pressure medicine.

1. Higher sodium intake was associated with increasing levels of uric acid and albumin over time.  The higher the levels of these markers, the greater the risk of developing hypertension if dietary salt intake was high.
2. Compared with participants eating the least amount of sodium (2.2 grams a day), those eating the most (6.2 grams mg/d) were 21 percent more likely to develop high blood pressure.
3. Those who had high uric acid levels and ate the most salt were 32 percent more likely to develop high blood pressure while those with high urine albumin levels and highest salt intake were 86 percent more likely to develop high blood pressure.