Which is more effective in hypertension?: Salt-free diet vs DASH diet


Çapar A. G., YILMAZ M.

Medicine (United States), cilt.104, sa.10, 2025 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus) identifier identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Cilt numarası: 104 Sayı: 10
  • Basım Tarihi: 2025
  • Doi Numarası: 10.1097/md.0000000000041636
  • Dergi Adı: Medicine (United States)
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, BIOSIS, CAB Abstracts, CINAHL, Veterinary Science Database, Directory of Open Access Journals
  • Anahtar Kelimeler: DASH diet, hypertension, nutritional therapy, salt-free diet
  • Erciyes Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

Background: In the management of hypertension lifestyle changes are recommended along with pharmacological treatment. Methods: This randomized controlled intervention study aimed to compare the effects of a dietary approaches to stop hypertension (DASH) diet and a salt-free diet on blood pressure in hypertension patients. This study was conducted with 60 patients with primary hypertension. One group (n = 30) was given an individualized DASH diet, the other group was given a salt-free diet (n = 30), and the participants were followed for 2-months. The patients' blood pressures were monitored daily throughout the study, and their biochemical parameters were monitored at the beginning of the study, in the first and second months. Results: At the end of the second month, there was no difference between the 2 groups in terms of diastolic blood pressure, while the systolic blood pressure (SBP) of the salt-free diet group (121.03 ± 9.73 mm Hg) was statistically significantly lower than the DASH diet group (126.81 ± 8.91 mm Hg) (P = .021). Conclusion: The salt-free diet was more efficient than for lowering SBP. However, the fact that sodium and soluble fiber intakes in the DASH diet group were higher than those in the salt-free diet group at the end of the first month, unlike at the beginning (P < .05), suggests that restricting the salt content of the DASH diet in hypertension could lead to more favorable outcomes on blood pressure, considering its suitability for a healthy diet.