Am J Physiol Ren Physiol. Search ADS. Clin Exp Hypertens. Dietary modifications have been widely regarded as a lifestyle modification strategy with enormous potential for preventing hypertension at a cost that is often less than current pharmacologic interventions. Int J Clin Pharmacol Ther. The benefits of overcoming the difficulties to reduce sodium intake are compelled by predicted reduction of mortality and morbidity as well as significant savings in health care costs similar to those observed in Canada and Norway [ 55 ]. A few years ago, the federal government revised its high blood pressure guidelines after research showed that even slightly elevated blood pressure starts damaging the arteries and increasing the risk of a heart attack, stroke and kidney failure.
Regular physical activity — such as minutes a week, or about 30 minutes most days of the week — can lower your blood pressure by about 5 to 8 mm Hg if you have high blood pressure. Effects of sodium reduction and the DASH diet in relation to baseline blood pressure. In our analysis, dietary patterns differed significantly among BP categories. The association between blood pressure and low to moderate levels of alcohol consumption is less clear. Potassium-mediated blood pressure reductions have implicated ROMK in a uninephrectomized salt-sensitive animal model of hypertension [ 71 ] and in human AQP2, sodium-hydrogen exchanger type 3 [ 72 ], and sodium chloride cotransporter [ 73 ], causing a thiazide-like effect [ 74 ]. One teaspoon of table salt has 2, mg of sodium. Using salt-free seasoning blends or herbs and spices may also ease the transition. Effects of low sodium diet versus high sodium diet on blood pressure, renin, aldosterone, catecholamines, cholesterol, and triglyceride. Participants with both elevated systolic and diastolic pressures exhibited a nutritional pattern similar to those with normal BP. Kaplan NM.
Elevated blood pressure arises from a combination of environmental and genetic factors and the interactions of these factors. A substantial body of evidence from animal studies, epidemiologic studies, meta-analyses, and randomized controlled trials has demonstrated that certain dietary patterns and individual dietary elements play a prominent role in the development of hypertension. Changes in diet can lower blood pressure, prevent the development of hypertension, and reduce the risk of hypertension-related complications. Dietary strategies for the prevention of hypertension include reducing sodium intake, limiting alcohol consumption, increasing potassium intake, and adopting an overall dietary pattern such as the DASH Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension diet or a Mediterranean diet. In order to reduce the burden of blood pressure-related complications, efforts that focus on environmental and individual behavioral changes that encourage and promote healthier food choices are warranted. Hypertension exerts a staggering worldwide burden on human quality of life and health care system resources via contribution to increased mortality and risk of cardiovascular diseases such as myocardial infarction, angina pectoris, heart failure, and stroke [ 1, 2 ]. In the US, hypertension is the most common primary diagnosis with 35 million outpatient office visits annually [ 3 ]. Even a small downward shift in the distribution of blood pressure in the general population could have a substantial impact on the risk of cardiovascular disease. Dietary modifications have been widely regarded as a lifestyle modification strategy with enormous potential for preventing hypertension at a cost that is often less than current pharmacologic interventions.