Study about Hypertension and Lifestyle Modifications: A Paradigm Shift

Abstract

Lifestyle advice shouldn't just be lip service; it should be implemented with sufficient behavioural and expert support and periodically reinforced. Due to the low long-term compliance with lifestyle changes and the very variable BP response, patients receiving non-pharmacological treatment should be regularly monitored so that medication can be started as soon as necessary. Pharmacological therapy has been the mainstay of conventional methods for reducing the prevalence of blood pressure-related atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) in persons with hypertension. However, in addition to drug therapy, nonpharmacologic therapy, also referred to as lifestyle change, has become increasingly important. Specifically, non-pharmacol­ogic therapies can serve as initial therapy in Stage 1 hyperten­sive patients, facilitate medication step down or withdrawal in patients with well-controlled hypertension, prevent hyper­tension in high-risk populations, and reduce blood pressure in normotensive individuals and thereby lower their risk of ASCVD.

It particularly refers to life-style modifications i.e. therapeutic lifestyle changes (TLC) which include reducing dietary sodium, exercise for at least 30 min per day, five days per week; to have Dietary Approach to stop Hypertension (DASH) diet protocol and to achieve a weight loss goal of 4.5 kg or more by non-pharmacological measures such as increased physical activity, reduced salt intake, reduced fat intake, alcohol abstinence, smoking cessation, behavioural changes, yoga, meditation etc. The greatest challenge is developing and implementing strategies that lead to a reduced salt intake, reduced weight, increased physical activity, moderate alcohol intake among those who drink, and an overall healthy dietary pattern.