Robust statistically significant effects were found for improved diet , aerobic exercise , alcohol and sodium restriction , and fish oil supplements : mean reductions in systolic blood pressure of 5.0 mmHg [ 95 % confidence interval ( CI ) : 3.1 - 7.0 ] , 4.6 mmHg ( 95 % CI : 2.0 - 7.1 ) , 3.8 mmHg ( 95 % CI : 1.4 - 6.1 ) , 3.6 mmHg ( 95 % CI : 2.5 - 4.6 ) and 2.3 mmHg ( 95 % CI : 0.2 - 4.3 ) , respectively , with corresponding reductions in diastolic blood pressure .
Relaxation significantly reduced blood pressure only when compared with non-intervention controls .
We found no robust evidence of any important effect on blood pressure of potassium , magnesium or calcium supplements .
Available evidence does not support relaxation therapies , calcium , magnesium or potassium supplements to reduce blood pressure
PURPOSE To quantify effectiveness of lifestyle interventions for hypertension .
Controlled trial of long-term oral calcium supplementation in essential hypertension.
A r and omized , double-blind , placebo-controlled crossover trial of oral calcium supplementation was carried out in 18 patients with uncomplicated essential hypertension . After 15 weeks of oral calcium supplementation , 1 g/day , of the patients ' habitual diet , the only blood pressure change ( compared with the results of placebo treatment ) was in the average st and ing systolic blood pressure , which was significantly reduced ( -8.6 mm Hg ; p less than 0.01 ) . The 24-hour urinary calcium excretion and the total serum calcium concentration increased significantly during calcium supplementation ( p less than 0.05 ) , indicating good compliance with the treatment . The individual blood pressure changes with high calcium intake were found to be inversely related to basal 24-hour urinary calcium excretion ( r = -0.69 , p less than 0.001 for st and ing systolic pressure ; r = -0.55 , p less than 0.002 for st and ing diastolic pressure ) . This correlation was independent of age , basal blood pressure , serum calcium concentration , basal 24-hour urinary sodium excretion , and body weight changes during the trial . In particular , a subgroup of six patients , who had a basal 24-hour urinary calcium excretion higher than the mean + 2 SD of a reference healthy population previously described , showed a substantial average blood pressure fall at variance with the other patients in the study . These results do not support the usefulness of an oral calcium supplement in the majority of subjects with mild essential hypertension ; however , they suggest that a group of patients with a previously reported abnormality of calcium metabolism may be responsive to this therapeutic measure
Robust statistically significant effects were found for improved diet , aerobic exercise , alcohol and sodium restriction , and fish oil supplements : mean reductions in systolic blood pressure of 5.0 mmHg [ 95 % confidence interval ( CI ) : 3.1 - 7.0 ] , 4.6 mmHg ( 95 % CI : 2.0 - 7.1 ) , 3.8 mmHg ( 95 % CI : 1.4 - 6.1 ) , 3.6 mmHg ( 95 % CI : 2.5 - 4.6 ) and 2.3 mmHg ( 95 % CI : 0.2 - 4.3 ) , respectively , with corresponding reductions in diastolic blood pressure .
Relaxation significantly reduced blood pressure only when compared with non-intervention controls .
We found no robust evidence of any important effect on blood pressure of potassium , magnesium or calcium supplements .
Available evidence does not support relaxation therapies , calcium , magnesium or potassium supplements to reduce blood pressure
PURPOSE To quantify effectiveness of lifestyle interventions for hypertension .