People with known cardiovascular disease, or diabetes with end-organ effects, are at a lower risk of cardiovascular death, heart attack, heart failure, or stroke if they consume a healthy diet. Researchers involved in two clinical studies involving a total of 31,546 men and women, average age 66.5 years, sought report that subjects who consumed the healthiest diet had a significantly lower risk of further cardiovascular events, as compared to those who ate the poorest quality diet.
The benefits were seen regardless of the type of medications that patients were taking. Writing that: “A higher-quality diet was associated with a lower risk of recurrent [cardiovascular disease] events among people 55 years of age [and older] with [cardiovascular disease] or diabetes mellitus,” the study authors urge that: “Highlighting the importance of healthy eating by health professionals would substantially reduce [cardiovascular disease] recurrence and save lives globally.”
References:
- Dehghan M, Mente A, Teo KK, Gao P, Sleight P, Dagenais G, et al; on Behalf of the Ongoing Telmisartan Alone and in Combination With Ramipril Global End Point Trial (ONTARGET)/Telmisartan Randomized Assessment Study in ACEI Intolerant Subjects With Cardiovascular Disease (TRANSCEND) Trial Investigators. “Relationship Between Healthy Diet and Risk of Cardiovascular Disease Among Patients on Drug Therapies for Secondary Prevention: A Prospective Cohort Study of 31 546 High- Risk Individuals From 40 Countries.” Circulation. 2012 Dec 4;126(23):2705-2712.
