Marcela Casanova

How Can Diet Influence the Risk of Stroke

Cerebrovascular diseases are the second cause of mortality in the world, and hypertension is considered a main risk factor for occurrence of stroke. The mechanisms responsible for the increased stroke risk remain unclear. However, dietary interventions have been applied in the management and treatment of their risk factors, which include increased blood pressure levels, obesity, diabetes, and dyslipidemia. Further studies should be conducted to assess the effects of carotenoids, flavonoids, n-3 polyunsaturated fats, and lower salt and high glycemic index intake in risk of stroke.

Cardiometabolic disorders in hypertensive women with abdominal obesity

Weight gain and increased waist circumference are important prognostic indicators of systemic arterial hypertension (SAH) and abdominal obesity (AO) is a relevant indicator of increased cardiovascular risk (CVR).1,2 Recent studies suggest that AO is more strongly associated with blood pressure (BP) than general adiposity3 and its association with SAH is recognized.4 In fact, there seems to be a direct influence of body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference on BP levels since adolescence.5 Additionally, it is well documented that weight loss causes reduced BP.6,7 Besides this direct influence on BP, AO is recognized as one of the main characteristics of metabolic syndrome (MS) and probably one of the most important CVR factors of the syndrome.8