DASHing Away from Heart Failure Risk

Incidence of HF was lowest among Swedish women whose diets most closely matched the DASH diet.

The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet promotes high intake of fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy products, and whole grains. Accordingly, this diet is high in potassium, magnesium, calcium, and fiber and low in total and saturated fats. Adherence to the DASH diet is associated with lower blood pressure; whether it can affect incidence of heart failure (HF) is unclear. In a prospective observational study, researchers evaluated the diets of more than 36,000 women in the Swedish Mammography Cohort (age range, 48–83) and followed the population for incident HF. Diets were assigned scores that reflected how closely they approximated the DASH diet.

During 7 years of follow-up, 443 participants (1.2%) developed HF. Even after adju…

Reviewing Author

JoAnne M. Foody, MD

Disclosures

Consultant / Advisory boardAegerion; Amarin; Bristol-Myers Squibb; Janssen; Merck; Pfizer; Sanofi-Aventis; Boehringer Ingelheim

Leadership positions in professional societiesAmerican College of Cardiology, Cardiosmart (Co-chair)

JoAnne M. Foody, MD

Disclosures

Consultant / Advisory boardAegerion; Amarin; Bristol-Myers Squibb; Janssen; Merck; Pfizer; Sanofi-Aventis; Boehringer Ingelheim

Leadership positions in professional societiesAmerican College of Cardiology, Cardiosmart (Co-chair)

DASHing Away from Heart Failure Risk

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Reviewing Author