Dietary pattern and blood pressure control in a hypertension outpatient clinic.

Although it is well known that some dietary measures are able to beneficially affect blood pressure (BP) levels, hypertensive patients find it very difficult to definitively change their nutritional habits. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects on BP of a return to the habitual diet following a dietary intervention period. Three hundred and seven hypertensive patients (149 females, 158 males) with a mean age of 52+/-12 years were included in the study.