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 .
Australian National Health and Medical Research Council dietary salt study in mild hypertension.
Two-hundred- and -twelve untreated subjects ( mean age 52.3 + /- 0.8 years ; 181 males and 31 females ) with a diastolic blood pressure between 90 and 100 mmHg were recruited to the study . Subjects were seen fortnightly and , after 4 pre-diet visits , were r and omized into a normal diet group ( A , 55 subjects ) , a high-potassium diet group ( B , 52 subjects receiving greater than 100 mmol K+/day ) a reduced-sodium diet group ( C , 52 subjects receiving 50 - 75 mmol Na+/day ) or a high-potassium and low-sodium diet group ( D , 53 subjects receiving same Na+ and K+ as groups B and C ) . Two-hundred subjects completed the diet phase of 12 weeks . Urine sodium fell to 86 + /- 7 mmol/day in group C and 73 + /- 6 mmol/day in group D , while daily potassium excretion rose to 96 + /- 5 mmol in group B and 87 + /- 4 mmol in group C. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure fell by 3.8 + /- 1.0 and 1.6 + /- 0.6 mmHg respectively in the normal diet group . The falls in systolic and diastolic blood pressures ( mmHg ) in the diet phase were 7.7 + /- 1.1 and 4.7 + /- 0.7 ( B ) , 8.9 + /- 1.0 and 5.8 + /- 0.6 ( C ) and 7.9 + /- 0.9 and 4.2 + /- 0.7 ( D ) . These falls were all greater than those in the control group on an intention-to-treat analysis ( P less than 0.005 ) but did not differ from each other . Factorial analysis confirmed that the falls in pressure attributable to the low-sodium diet and high-potassium diet were not additive . ( ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS
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 .