Catherine M. Champagne, PhD, RD4: From the 1Center for Health Research, Kaiser Permanente Northwes

Lifestyle recommendations for the prevention and treatment of hypertension include weight loss, reduced sodium intake, increased physical activity, limited alcohol intake, and the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet. The 18-month results of the Prospective Registry Evaluating Myocardial Infarction: Events and Recovery (PREMIER) randomized clinical trial showed that individuals with prehypertension and stage 1 hypertension can make and sustain many of these lifestyle changes over the long term, thereby reducing their risk of cardiovascular disease.