Leading Worldwide Cause of Cardiovascular Disease May Be Modified by Diet

Potassium, Other Minerals Shown to Reduce Blood Pressure

NASHVILLE, Tenn., July 7 /PRNewswire/ -- A new article indicates that an
increased intake in minerals such as potassium, and possibly magnesium and
calcium by dietary means may reduce the risk of high blood pressure and
decrease blood pressure in people with hypertension. A high intake of these
minerals in the diet may also reduce the risk of coronary heart disease and
stroke. These findings are published in a supplement appearing with the July
issue of The Journal of Clinical Hypertension.
Potassium, specifically, has been hypothesized as one reason for the low
cardiovascular disease rates in vegetarians, as well as in populations
consuming primitive diets (generous in potassium and low in sodium). In
isolated societies consuming diets high in fruits and vegetables, hypertension
affects only 1 percent of the population, whereas in industrialized countries
which consume diets high in processed foods and large amounts of dietary
sodium, 1 in 3 persons have hypertension. Americans consume double the sodium
and about half of the potassium that is recommended by current guidelines.
According to the paper, if Americans were able to increase their potassium
intake, the number of adults with known hypertension with blood pressure
levels higher than 140/90 mm Hg might decrease by more than 10 percent and
increase life expectancy. Similar studies show that diets high in magnesium
(at least 500 to 1,000 mg/d) and calcium (more than 800 mg/d) may also be
associated with both a decrease in blood pressure and risk of developing
hypertension. Data regarding these minerals, however, are not definitive.
"If we were to achieve the correct potassium/sodium ratio through dietary
means, there would be less hypertension and cardiovascular disease in the
population as a whole," says Mark C. Houston, M.D., author of the study.
Diets that emphasize fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy products,
including the landmark Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) trial,
have been advocated by the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection,
Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure, the American Heart
Association, the European Society of Hypertension, the World Health
Organization and the British Hypertension Society.
Hypertension is the leading cause of cardiovascular disease, affecting
approximately 1 billion individuals worldwide and is the most common reason
for visits to physician's offices and the primary reason for prescription drug
use.
More than 70 million Americans, or nearly 1-in-3 adults, are estimated to
have hypertension, but fewer than 50 percent achieve blood pressure control.
Nearly 70 million more adults have high-normal or pre-hypertensive blood
pressure levels of 120/80 mm Hg to 130/85 mm Hg, and 90 percent of adults will
probably develop hypertension by age 65. Poor blood pressure control is a
major challenge for patients with diabetes and chronic kidney disease. Despite
major advances in the prevention and treatment of hypertension over the past
decades, with a decrease of more than 60 percent in hypertension-related
strokes, hypertension remains an important public health challenge.
This study is published in The Journal of Clinical Hypertension. Media
wishing to receive a PDF of this article may contact
medicalnews@bos.blackwellpublishing.net.
Mark C. Houston, M.D. is Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine at the
Vanderbilt University School of Medicine and Director, Hypertension Institute
and Vascular Biology of Nashville. Dr. Houston can be reached for questions at
mhoustonhisth@yahoo.com.
The Journal of Clinical Hypertension is a peer-reviewed, monthly
publication that serves family practitioners, internists, and cardiologists by
providing objective, up-to-date information and practical recommendations on
the treatment of hypertension. As newer studies are completed, they are
summarized and critiqued. Reviews of recent publications in other journals and
original papers that focus on the clinical management of hypertension are
featured. JCH is the official journal of the American Society of Hypertension,
Inc. For more information, please visit www.blackwell-synergy.com/loi/jch.
Wiley-Blackwell was formed in February 2007 as a result of the acquisition
of Blackwell Publishing Ltd. by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., and its merger with
Wiley's Scientific, Technical, and Medical business. Together, the companies
have created a global publishing business with deep strength in every major
academic and professional field. Wiley-Blackwell publishes approximately 1,400
scholarly peer-reviewed journals and an extensive collection of books with
global appeal. For more information on Wiley-Blackwell, please visit
www.blackwellpublishing.com or http://interscience.wiley.com.
Contact:
Sean Wagner
781-388-8550
medicalnews@bos.blackwellpublishing.net

SOURCE Journal of Clinical Hypertension

Sean Wagner for the Journal of Clinical Hypertension, +1-781-388-8550,
medicalnews@bos.blackwellpublishing.net