Hypertension and the Role of Dietary Fiber

Abstract

Hypertension (HTN) is a leading modifiable risk factor for multiple diseases. It has reached epidemic proportions, affecting nearly a third of the world's population. With such a high prevalence and an exhaustive list of potential complications, antihypertensive therapy has been a subject of focus for the scientific community for a long time. Recently, Dietary fiber is emerging as yet another promising candidate addressing this issue. It is a well-known fact that dietary modification alone can significantly impact a patient's health, with a noticeable effect on BP as well. But simply switching to healthy alternatives is not enough and must happen in tandem with dietary supplementation. The consumption of ultra-processed food has only increased in recent times. Hence, we feel the need to focus on dietary interventions in managing hypertension. This review aims to bring to light the current literature on the pathophysiology, risk factors, and treatment protocols of hypertension, focusing on dietary fibers and their role in hypertension management.