Patients with heart failure can improve their lives by changing their diet

According to a research presented at the Heart Failure Society of America meeting in Orlando, patients with common type of heart failure can dramatically reduce hypertension and improve heart function by changing their diets. “Our work suggests diet could play an important role in the progression of heart failure, although patients should always talk to their doctor before making major dietary changes”, says Scott Hummel, M.D., cardiologist at the University of Michigan Frankel Cardiovascular Center. “We're excited to confirm these results in longer-term studies that also help us understand the challenges patients face when they try to improve their eating habits”. Doctors have long known that the low-sodium DASH diet can lower blood pressure in salt-sensitive patients. This study proved that the DASH diet can improve left ventricular relaxation and reduce diastolic chamber stiffness, meaning a more efficient transfer of blood between the heart and arteries, Hummel says.