Blood Pressure-Lowering Mechanisms of the DASH Dietary Pattern

Potential blood pressure- (BP-) lowering mechanisms of the DASH dietary pattern were measured in 20 unmedicated hypertensive adults in a controlled feeding study. At screening, participants averaged 44.3±7.8 years, BMI 33.9±6.6 Kg/m2, and BP 144.2±9.38/88.5±6.03 mmHg. All consumed a control diet for one week, then were randomized to control or DASH for another two weeks (week one and two). With DASH, but not controls, SBP fell by 10.65±12.89 (𝑃=0.023) and 9.60±11.23 (𝑃=0.039) mmHg and DBP by 5.95±8.01 (𝑃=0.069) and 8.60±9.13 mmHg (𝑃=0.011) at the end of week one and two, respectively. Univariate regressions showed that changes in urinary sodium/potassium ratio (𝛽=1.99) and plasma renin activity (𝛽=−15.78) and percent change in plasma nitrite after hyperemia were associated with SBP changes at week one (all 𝑃