CLINICAL QUESTION

In adults, does adhering to the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet reduce rates of cardiovascular events (eg, myocardial infarction [MI], stroke) or all-cause mortality compared with usual diet or other dietary interventions?

EVIDENCE-BASED ANSWER

The DASH diet does not appear to reduce the rates of cardiovascular events (ie, MI, stroke) or all-cause mortality over 4 to 18 months of follow-up compared with usual care or minimal dietary interventions (low-certainty evidence) in adults with no history of heart disease.¹ (Strength of Recommendation: B, limited-quality patient-oriented evidence.)

PRACTICE POINTERS

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the leading cause of death globally, accounting for nearly one-third of all deaths worldwide, and it is also the top cause of death in the United States. Diet is a key modifiable risk factor.^2–4 The DASH diet emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy, reduced sodium, and reduced saturated fat, and is endorsed by major cardiovascular guidelines for hypertension and general CVD prevention.⁴ The authors of this Cochrane review aimed to investigate whether the DASH diet reduces cardiovascular events compared with other dietary interventions.¹