Diet rich in fruits and vegetables, alcohol abstinence can prevent heart failure — Experts

A diet rich in fruits and vegetables and reduced alcohol intake have been declared as low-cost interventions to significantly reduce blood pressure and hence prevent heart attack in individuals with hypertension in Nigeria, a study has said.

In a new study, experts stated that amendable risk factors and dietary changes to prevent heart failure in individuals with hypertension (HHF) were improved medication adherence, fruit and vegetable consumption and reduced alcohol consumption.

Suboptimal medication adherence was the strongest adverse risk factor of heart failure developing in individuals with hypertension, followed by protein in urine and alcohol consumption (10 grammes per day). Low medication adherence was associated with a nine-fold increased risk of heart failure in individuals with hypertension.

The experts added, “This is particularly worrisome given that these were patients attending specialist clinics. Furthermore, suboptimal medication adherence was the single most important factor that accounted for much of the attributable fraction of HHF. This is an important public health concern and an avenue for intensive patient education for preventive care.”

The RISK-HHF case-control study in the journal, PLoS One, had evaluated the overall heart failure risk among Nigerian 101 adults with hypertension with heart failure and others with only hypertension over an eight-month period at the cardiology clinic and medical wards of the Department of Medicine, University College Hospital, Ibadan.

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A questionnaire was administered to collect data on medical history, lifestyle risk factors, medications use and adherence, examination findings and laboratory test results.

According to the study, alcohol consumption was associated with a 10 per cent increased risk of HHF and 13 per cent increased risk per 10g or glass of alcohol consumed per day. Daily fruits and vegetable consumption was associated with a 62 per cent reduced risk of HHF which remained almost the same in age and sex-adjusted analysis.

In this study, 45.2 per cent of hypertensive patients were non-adherent to medications, 31.2 per cent of those hypertensives with co-morbidities were non-adherent with 83.7 per cent of non-adherence noticed in those with uncontrolled blood pressure.

Moderate medication adherence was associated with a 3.88-fold increased risk of HHF which was magnified to 4.54-fold increased risk in age and sex-adjusted analysis while low medication adherence was associated with about nine-fold increased risk of HHF which was magnified to about 12-fold in age and sex-adjusted analysis.

The researchers stated, “Health education should be intensified in primary and specialist care settings. Setting up a medication adherence clinic may help to identify early those patients with poor adherence that may be at high risk of heart failure.

“The risk factors of hypertension heart failure are amenable to lifestyle and dietary changes. Public health interventions and preventive cardiovascular care to improve medication adherence, promote fruit and vegetable consumption and reduce alcohol consumption among patients with hypertension are recommended.”