Mediterranean Diet Reduces 24-Hour Ambulatory Blood Pressure, Blood Glucose, and Lipids: One-Year Randomized, Clinical Trial

• Published in: Hypertension (Dallas, Tex. 1979) Vol. 64; no. 1; pp. 69 - 76
• Main Authors: Doménech, Mónica, Roman, Pilar, Lapetra, José, García de la Corte, Francisco J, Sala-Vila, Aleix, de la Torre, Rafael, Corella, Dolores, Salas-Salvadó, Jordi, Ruiz-Gutiérrez, Valentina, Lamuela-Raventós, Rosa-María, Toledo, Estefania, Estruch, Ramón, Coca, Antonio, Ros, Emilio
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hagerstown, MD American Heart Association, Inc 01.07.2014; Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
• Subjects: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Arterial hypertension. Arterial hypotension; Biological and medical sciences; Blood and lymphatic vessels; Blood Glucose - metabolism; Blood Pressure - physiology; Cardiology. Vascular system; Cardiovascular Diseases - prevention & control; Diet, Mediterranean; Female; Humans; Lipids - blood; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Risk Factors; Treatment Outcome; Mediterranean Basin; Hypertension; Nuts; Mediterranean diet; Lipids; Cardiovascular disease; Olive oil; Feeding; Randomization; Diet; diet, Mediterranean; Clinical trial; Arterial pressure; Blood pressure; Hemodynamics; Ambulatory; Circulatory system; clinical trials, randomized; Mediterranean region; Glycemia; blood pressure; olive oil; nuts
• ISSN: 0194-911X; 1524-4563
• DOI: 10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.113.03353

The PREvención con DIeta MEDiterránea (PREDIMED) trial showed that Mediterranean diets (MedDiets) supplemented with either extravirgin olive oil or nuts reduced cardiovascular events, particularly stroke, compared with a control, lower fat diet. The mechanisms of cardiovascular protection remain unclear. We evaluated the 1-year effects of supplemented MedDiets on 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure (BP), blood glucose, and lipids. Randomized, parallel-design, controlled trial was conducted in 2 PREDIMED sites. Diets were ad libitum, and no advice on increasing physical activity or reducing sodium intake was given. Participants were 235 subjects (56.5% women; mean age, 66.5 years) at high cardiovascular risk (85.4% with hypertension). Adjusted changes from baseline in mean systolic BP were −2.3 (95% confidence interval [CI], −4.0 to −0.5) mm Hg and −2.6 (95% CI, −4.3 to −0.9) mm Hg in the MedDiets with olive oil and the MedDiets with nuts, respectively, and 1.7 (95% CI, −0.1 to 3.5) mm Hg in the control group (P<0.001). Respective changes in mean diastolic BP were −1.2 (95% CI, −2.2 to −0.2), −1.2 (95% CI, −2.2 to −0.2), and 0.7 (95% CI, −0.4 to 1.7) mm Hg (P=0.017). Daytime and nighttime BP followed similar patterns. Mean changes from baseline in fasting blood glucose were −6.1, −4.6, and 3.5 mg/dL (P=0.016) in the MedDiets with olive oil, MedDiets with nuts, and control diet, respectively; those of total cholesterol were −11.3, −13.6, and −4.4 mg/dL (P=0.043), respectively. In high-risk individuals, most with treated hypertension, MedDiets supplemented with extravirgin olive oil or nuts reduced 24-hour ambulatory BP, total cholesterol, and fasting glucose. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION—URLhttp://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifierISRCTN35739639.