Hypertension: Dietary Factors

Worldwide, elevated blood pressure is an extraordinarily common and important risk factor for cardiovascular and kidney diseases. As blood pressure (BP) rises, so does the risk of these diseases. The relationship is strong, consistent, continuous, independent, and etiologically relevant. Accordingly, the adverse consequences of elevated BP are not just restricted to individuals with hypertension. Those with prehypertension, have a high probability of developing hypertension and carry an excess risk of cardiovascular disease compared to those with a normal BP. In fact, almost one-third of BP-related deaths from coronary heart disease occur in individuals with BP in the nonhypertensive range. It has been estimated that 54% of strokes and 47% of coronary heart disease events can be attributed to elevated BP.