Volume 29, Issue 164, October 2025

Diet as a non-pharmacological method of treating hypertension

Piotr Gadocha¹, Szymon Graczyk^1♦, Ksawery Adamiec¹, Przemysław Prokop¹, Zuzanna Wróbelsup>2, Jakub Sulimasup>3

¹MedTech Association of Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland
²Department of Neurology, Faculty of the Medical Sciences in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland
³Association of the Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland

^♦Corresponding author
Szymon Graczyk, Leśna 4A/24, 41-100 Siemianowice Śląskie, Poland

ABSTRACT

Hypertension is a primary global health concern and a paramount risk factor for cardiovascular diseases and premature mortality. Similar to worldwide trends, this issue affects almost one-third of adults in Poland. This review is based on the most recent recommendations from the European Society of Cardiology and the European Society of Hypertension. It investigates the role of diet as a nonpharmacological strategy for controlling hypertension. We gathered results from population studies, narrative reviews, and meta-analyses mostly published between January 2020 and March 2025, accentuating the evidence-based dietary recommendations. The article highlights the importance of modifiable risk factors in managing blood pressure, including obesity, poor nutritional habits, alcohol consumption, and sodium and potassium intake. We demonstrated two dietary patterns to lower blood pressure: the DASH and Mediterranean diets. Research shows that even tiny lifestyle changes can significantly lower blood pressure, reducing the need for pharmacological treatment at the same time. Complex hormonal, vascular, and renal interactions are involved in the mechanisms underlying dietary influence.

Keywords: hypertension, diet, obesity, non-pharmacological treatment methods

Medical Science, 2025, 29, e199ms3663

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Published: 03 October 2025