Objectives: During recent years, hypertension and related cardiovascular complications have become the leading health challenges of this century. Non-pharmacologic strategies, emphasizing mainly salt restriction and physical activity, are recommended for all patients with hypertension. Our objective was to assess the impact of low salt white bread intake, widely consumed in Western Algeria, on blood pressure values in hypertensive patients with and without comorbidities.
Materials and methods: 134 hypertensive patients (male = 78, female = 56) were included. The study population was divided into two groups according to their choice of following a low salt white bread diet or not. Their dietary salt intake and physical activity were surveyed along with their blood pressure measurements and associated comorbidities. Other clinical and anthropometric data were collected.
Results: Patients following low salt bread diet showed decreased systolic and diastolic blood pressure values (119.07/74.63 mmHg) compared to the second group (131.92/79.81) (p < 0.01). These results were observed specifically in patients with adjacent cardiovascular diseases who seem to be less compliant to the diet (41.1% of the whole population, p < 0.05) and show significant increased blood pressure (135.75/81.53 mmHg) compared to compliant patients (116.66/75.33 mmHg) (p < 0.01).
Conclusion: The study highlights the impact of low salt bread diet on the treatment of hypertension with and without comorbidities.
Keywords: bread; cardiovascular disease; hypertension; salt; treatment.