How to lower diastolic blood pressure?

From the Guidelines

To lower diastolic blood pressure, focus on lifestyle modifications including regular aerobic exercise, adopting the DASH diet, reducing sodium intake, limiting alcohol consumption, maintaining a healthy weight, and practicing stress management techniques. The most effective approach to lowering diastolic blood pressure involves a combination of these lifestyle modifications, as evidenced by studies such as 1, which highlights the benefits of reduction of sodium intake, diets rich in vegetables, fruits, and low-fat dairy products, and Mediterranean diets in improving BP control. Key lifestyle modifications include:

• Regular aerobic exercise, such as 30 minutes daily, 5 days per week
• Adopting the DASH diet, which is rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat dairy
• Reducing sodium intake to less than 2,300 mg daily
• Limiting alcohol consumption to no more than 1-2 drinks per day
• Maintaining a healthy weight
• Practicing stress management techniques like meditation or deep breathing If lifestyle changes are not sufficient, medications such as ACE inhibitors, ARBs, calcium channel blockers, or thiazide diuretics may be necessary, as noted in studies like 1, which recommends treating patients with diabetes to a systolic blood pressure < 130 mm Hg and a diastolic blood pressure < 80 mm Hg. It's essential to consult with a healthcare provider before starting any medication regimen, as they can tailor treatment to specific health needs, taking into account the latest guidelines and research, including those from 1, which emphasizes the importance of lifestyle intervention and weight loss in managing diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.

From the FDA Drug Label

Lowering blood pressure reduces the risk of fatal and nonfatal cardiovascular events, primarily strokes and myocardial infarctions Numerous antihypertensive drugs, from a variety of pharmacologic classes and with different mechanisms of action, have been shown in randomized controlled trials to reduce cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, and it can be concluded that it is blood pressure reduction, and not some other pharmacologic property of the drugs, that is largely responsible for those benefits Elevated systolic or diastolic pressure causes increased cardiovascular risk, and the absolute risk increase per mmHg is greater at higher blood pressures, so that even modest reductions of severe hypertension can provide substantial benefit Amlodipine besylate tablets may be used alone or in combination with other antihypertensive agents. Lisinopril demonstrated superior reductions of systolic and diastolic compared to hydrochlorothiazide in a population that was 75% Caucasian Lisinopril was approximately equivalent to atenolol and metoprolol in reducing diastolic blood pressure, and had somewhat greater effects on systolic blood pressure.

To lower diastolic pressure, consider using antihypertensive drugs such as:

• Amlodipine besylate tablets 2
• Lisinopril 3 These medications have been shown to reduce diastolic blood pressure and decrease the risk of cardiovascular events. It is essential to follow the recommended dosage and treatment guidelines, and to consult with a healthcare professional for personalized advice.

From the Research

Methods to Lower Diastolic Pressure

To lower diastolic pressure, several dietary approaches have been found to be effective:

• Adopting a diet rich in plant-based foods, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, and limiting sodium intake to within normal limits 4
• Implementing the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet, which has been shown to reduce both systolic and diastolic blood pressure in adults with and without hypertension 5
• Reducing dietary sodium intake to no more than 100 mmol (about 2.4 g sodium or approximately 6 g salt) per day, as recommended by current international guidelines 6
• Combining a low-salt diet with anti-hypertensive therapies, which can facilitate blood pressure reduction independent of race 6
• Increasing potassium, calcium, and magnesium intake, which can help prevent and control blood pressure 6

Effective Diets

Some effective diets for lowering diastolic pressure include:

• The DASH diet, which emphasizes whole grains, fruits, vegetables, lean protein, and low-fat dairy 4, 5
• A diet low in sodium, energy-dense foods, fat content, refined carbohydrates, and added sugar 4
• A diet high in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, which can help reduce blood pressure in older adults and hypertensive persons 4

Factors Influencing Blood Pressure Reduction

Several factors can influence the effectiveness of dietary interventions in reducing blood pressure:

• Sodium intake: higher daily sodium intake can enhance the blood pressure-lowering effect of the DASH diet 5
• Age: younger age can enhance the blood pressure-lowering effect of the DASH diet 5
• Hypertension status: the DASH diet can reduce blood pressure in both hypertensive and non-hypertensive adults 5