DESIRABLE DIET FOR BLOOD PRESSURE REDUCTION--PREVENTIVE CARDIOLOGY

高血压(BP)或高血压(HTN)是 美国的发病率和死亡率，非裔美国人更是如此 人口。即使早在早期就有迹象表明 本世纪初，BP可能受到饮食因素的影响， 它仍然被普遍忽视，HTN治疗的主要任务是 一直在使用药理降压药。然而，人们的注意力是 由于成本较高，目前主要关注HTN的饮食管理 在药物治疗中，意识到一些降压药是 与不良反应有关，以及高血压患者 仅通过药物手段治疗的人仍然面临着 进展为严重的、使人衰弱的冠状动脉疾病。这个 文献中充斥着素食和低钠的证据 饮食模式与较低的血压水平有关。许多调查人员 试图找出导致血压降低的饮食因素， 但结果并不一致。这项初步研究的目的是 就是试着找出可口的和社会文化上可以接受的饮食 营养丰富的模式被认为可以降低血压，因为这些 这些因素并不清楚，也没有多少人会喜欢无盐的食物 或者素食。32名正常血压偏高的非裔美国人 水平或阶段I-HTN将随机进行，在基准期进入 1个对照组和3个研究组。控制组的人将收到一份 “典型的”美式饮食，每个研究组的人都会得到一份 以下配方饮食模式每天3次，持续12周： 1)修改后的第一步全国胆固醇教育计划(NCEP)+ 高钾(K)、钙(Ca)、镁(Mg)和纤维；2)一步- 一个NCEP；和3)修改后的典型美式饮食+高K、Ca、Mg和 纤维。所有的食物都将在节食厨房里准备。动脉血压水平， 在研究期间获得的，将与基线对照进行比较 水平，血压的变化将与饮食模式相关 使用。预计一种或多种配方饮食 模式将有效地降低血压，并可用于HTN 管理作为药物治疗的替代或补充。

High blood pressure (BP) or hypertension (HTN) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in the U.S., and more so in the African-American population. Even though there have been indications since as early as the beginning of the century that BP might be influenced by dietary factors, it has remained generally ignored and the main stay of HTN treatment has been the use of pharmacological antihypertensives. However, attention is now being focused on dietary management of HTN because of the high cost of drug therapy, the realization that some antihypertensives are associated with adverse reactions, and the fact that hypertensives treated only by pharmacological means continue to be at risk for progression to major and debilitating coronary artery disease. The literature is replete with evidence that vegetarian and low sodium dietary patterns are associated with lower BP levels. Many investigators have tried to identify the dietary factors responsible for reducing BP, but the results have been inconsistent. The purpose of this pilot study is to try to identify palatable and socioculturally acceptable dietary patterns enriched with nutrients believed to reduce BP, since these factors are not clearly known and not many people would enjoy unsalted or vegetarian diets. Thirty-two African Americans with high normal BP levels or Stage I-HTN will be randomized, after a baseline period into 1 control and 3 study groups. Those in the control group will receive a "typical" American diet, and those in each study group will receive one of the following formulated dietary patters 3 times a day for 12 weeks: 1) A modified Step-One National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) + high potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (mg), and fiber; 2) a Step- One NCEP; and 3) a modified "typical" American diet + high K, Ca, Mg, and fiber. All foods will be prepared in a diet kitchen. Arterial BP levels, obtained during the study periods, will be compared to baseline control levels, and changes in BP will be correlated with the dietary patterns used. It is anticipated that one or more of the formulated dietary patterns will be effective in reducing BP and can be used in HTN management as either an alternative, or complementary, to drug therapy.