Aim To investigate the effect of high salt diet on carotid artery remodeling and the intervention of telmisartan in Wistar rats. Methods 60 male Wistar rats were fed by normal （given 0.5% NaCl as control group）, high salt （given 8% NaCl as high salt group） and high salt＋telmisartan （given 8% NaCl＋telmisartan as intervention group） diet for 24 weeks, respectively. At the end of experiment, the rats in high salt group were subdivided into high salt hypertension group and high salt normal blood pressure group by the tail-cuff artery pressure. The changes of histology and proliferation in carotid artery were observed by HE, Masson and immunohistochemical staining. TGF-β1, p-Smad2/3, Smad7, AngⅡ, AT1 and AT2 protein expression in carotid artery were determined by immunohistochemical staining. The level of aldosterone in carotid artery was mesured by radioimunoassay. Results Media thickeness （MT）, ratio of media to lumen （MT/LD）, proliferation index （PI）, the collagen volume fraction, TGF-β1 and p-Smad2/3 were greater in high salt group than those in the control group （P＜0.05）, but telmisartan prevented these effects （P＜0.05）, Smad7 protein expression in high salt group was lower compared with control group （P＜0.05）, whereas higher in intervention group compared with high salt group （P＜0.05）. AngⅡ protein expression in high salt group and intervention group increased compared with control group （P＜0.05）. AT1 protein expression in high salt group increased compared with control group （P＜0.05）, but decreased in intervention group （P＜0.05）, high salt hypertension group and high salt normal blood pressure group was unchanged （P＞0.05）. AT2 protein expression in intervention group increased compared with high salt group and control group （P＜0.05）, control group, high salt hypertension group and high salt normal blood pressure group was unchanged （P＞0.05）. The aldosterone level in carotid arteries was greater in high salt hypertension group than that in control group and high salt normal blood pressure group （P＜0.05）, much greater than that in intervention group （P＜0.01）. Conclusions 8% NaCl diet can cause the carotid artery remodeling in Wistar rats, RAS and TGF-β1/Smads pathway may participate in the mechanism of carotid artery remodeling.Telmisartan can prevent high salt-induced remodeling of carotid artery.