Effect of the low sodium diet and the rice diet on arterial blood pressure

Abstract

1. 1. Nine patients with hypertension were treated by diet. Seven received a low sodium diet adequate in protein; four received the rice diet in addition to this; one had the rice diet alone and in one patient observations were discontinued because he did not adhere to the diet. 2. 2. Four of seven on the low sodium diet experienced a statistically significant fall in blood pressure; in three there was no change. Of five patients on the rice diet three showed statistically significant falls in both systolic and diastolic pressures but only one to a normal value. 3. 3. The effect of the rice diet was only slightly greater than that of the low sodium diet. 4. 4. Although there was a fall in blood pressure in five of the patients studied, there was no relief of symptoms. Although the number of patients studied is small it is believed these changes were not of sufficient magnitude to warrant the routine use of this type of therapy in the management of essential hypertension.