AboutWilliam B. Jeffries, Ph.D. Expertise Questions on the mechanism of action and side effects of antihypertensive drugs, the epidemiology of hypertension and the cardiovascular complications of untreated or undertreated high blood pressure
Experience I have been an investigator in the field of hypertension research for over 20 years.
Organizations Council for High Blood Pressure Research
American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics
American Heart Association
Publications Hypertension, Journal of Hypertension, Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Molecular Pharmacology, American Journal of Physiology, Pharmacology and Therapeutics of Dentistry
Question >importance of these factors varies among individuals. Interventions that lower >body mass also lower blood pressure, so it is hard to distinguish the degree of >importance among things like diet, exercise and weight loss.
>The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension Diet (DASH) was developed by
You seem be imply that losing weight and diet are too strongly intertwined to separate their individual effects.
This is what I'm thinking: it's possible to eat the right foods but still eat enough to maintain one's weight. My question is therefore: would her BP still decrease in this case, or does she need to eat right AND lose a few pounds at the same time?
I guess I'm asking you to confirm or correct the following assumptions:
(1) DASH diet but maintain weight -> slight drop in BP
(2) eat 'badly' but less, thus decreasing weight -> slight drop in BP
(3) DASH diet and lose some weight too -> even greater drop in BP compared to (1) and (2) (this implies that weight loss and diet act separately)
Would you agree? I'm just trying to figure out what my fiancee needs to do in order to get the biggest effect outside of medication. She's been off her beta-blocker since xmas because she just doesn't like it, and last night she was at about 100/145. That's high, but I'm convinced that with some work we can bring it down a few points - and THEN we'll see if she still needs the beta-blocker.
Thanks again!
-Adrian
Answer The DASH diet works regardless of its effect on body mass. Body mass is independently associated with early death, risk of diabetes and hypertension. Weight loss can have a profound effect on blood pressure regardless of how its done. See table 5 in the first link below for an estimate of how much each variable can contribute to hypertension reduction.
All that being said, I would say that the treatment you are attempting should be done under the care of a physician. Your fiance currently has blood pressure that is too high. Assuming the blood pressure values given are accurate, she has stage 2 hypertension. This means that the high pressure is inflicting damage right now, when it doesn't have to. Drug treatment is effective in all patients, but it is more effective in patients who are actively working to reduce their risks. It seems to me that the best plan would be to consult a physician, get the blood pressure under control NOW, and THEN work to reduce the need for the drug(s) with lifestyle modification. Take care.
