New Guidelines: Fighting Hypertension with Lifestyle Modifications

The newest American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology hypertension guidelines continue to support the use of lifestyle modifications for prevention and treatment, such as following a heart-healthy eating pattern like the DASH diet, cutting back on sodium, and being more physically active. Additionally, stress reduction through transcendental meditation, breathing control techniques, or yoga are reasonable considerations alongside conventional interventions.

When talking to patients about the DASH diet, you can point to some compelling evidence. Several clinical studies show that following this diet lowers systolic blood pressure (SBP) by about 5-8 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) by about 3-6 mmHg in patients with hypertension - with improvements seen after 1 week.

Cutting back on sodium is another strategy worth discussing with your patients. The new guidelines suggest aiming for under 2,300 mg of sodium daily, though getting below 1,500 mg daily is ideal for most adults. The results show a reduction in SBP of 6-8 mmHg in patients with hypertension, while those without hypertension still benefit from a 1-4 mmHg reduction. A simple tip you can suggest is substituting cooking or table salt with a salt substitute.

And here’s something worth emphasizing to your patients - when they combine weight loss with the DASH diet or sodium reduction, the benefits are even greater.  

Beyond dietary approaches, stress management can also play an important role. Yoga, in particular, has shown promising results. Clinical studies indicate that various types of yoga (e.g., meditative yoga) reduce SBP by approximately 5-7 mmHg and DBP by 4 mmHg. Just keep in mind that the research quality is low.

As for meditation, particularly transcendental, a decrease in SBP of about 5-7 mmHg and 5 mmHg was observed in patients with or without hypertension, respectively. However, some clinical studies showed that these effects seem to wane after about 3 months.

If you want to explore more lifestyle modifications for hypertension management, check out our “Effectiveness by Condition” tool for additional evidence-based strategies.