PrometheusGeneral

Condition · Condition

Hypertension

The silent driver of cardiovascular risk — and one of the most lifestyle-responsive conditions there is.

Overall grade
Grade A
Last revised
5
graded outcomes
3
references listed
Compare with another entry

A hand-written entry in Prometheus's bundled library. Its grades are the entry's own reading of the evidence, not a peer-reviewed review.

4 at grade A · 1 at grade C — 5 graded rows

What is known

Each outcome with its grade (how strong the evidence is, A to D), the size of the effect where the entry records one, and how often studies agree.

  • Aerobic exercise (Zone 2)Evidence grade A

    −5 to −8 mmHg systolic across meta-analyses

    Moderatehigh

  • Sodium restriction (<2.3g)Evidence grade A

    Larger effect in salt-sensitive individuals

    Moderatehigh

  • DASH / potassium intakeEvidence grade A

    −5 to −6 mmHg; fruit, veg and legume forward

    Moderatehigh

  • Weight lossEvidence grade A

    ~1 mmHg per kg lost, front-loaded

    Moderatehigh

  • Magnesium supplementationEvidence grade C

    Modest, mostly in deficiency

    Smallmixed

What is uncertain

Read off the same rows as above. Nothing here is added that the entry does not itself record.

  • Thin evidence: Magnesium supplementation (grade C).

The evidence in words

What it is

Chronically elevated arterial pressure. Stage 1 is 130–139/80–89 mmHg; stage 2 is ≥140/90. Most cases are primary — no single cause, a mix of vascular stiffness, sodium handling and sympathetic tone — and progress silently for years.

What moves it

The evidence-heavy levers are aerobic training, sodium reduction, weight loss, a potassium-forward (DASH) diet, sleep, and alcohol moderation. Each is worth a few mmHg; stacked, they routinely pull stage 1 into range without medication.

When to treat

Persistent stage 2, or stage 1 with elevated cardiovascular risk, is a clinician conversation about first-line agents. Home readings — not clinic one-offs — are the honest signal to act on.

How it is used

As the entry records it, from the studies it summarises. Not a recommendation for you — doses that suit a trial population may not suit you.

Aerobic
150–180 min/week Zone 2 — the single most reliable non-drug lever.
Sodium
Target <2.3g/day; the biggest wins are processed foods, not the salt shaker.
Monitoring
Morning home readings 3×/week, seated and rested — the trend beats any single number.

Questions people ask

Is stage 1 a medication sentence?

Usually not on its own — stage 1 without high cardiovascular risk is a lifestyle window first, re-checked over weeks.

Does coffee cause it?

Acute small bumps; chronic intake isn't a meaningful driver for most people. Consistency matters more than avoidance.

Related reading

Entries that share this one's tags or conditions.

  • Alpha-Lipoic AcidAn antioxidant with genuine evidence for diabetic neuropathy symptoms and modest insulin-sensitivity effects.Evidence grade B
  • Apple Cider VinegarThe acetic acid modestly blunts post-meal glucose — small, real, and easy to overhype.Evidence grade C
  • Artichoke Leaf ExtractA digestive-and-cholesterol botanical with modest LDL and dyspepsia data.Evidence grade C
  • Banaba (Corosolic Acid)A glucose-lowering leaf whose corosolic acid shows small post-meal effects in limited trials.Evidence grade C

Sources

As this entry records them: title, journal and year. None carries a DOI or PubMed id, so none is linked as a verified paper. Each link searches PubMed for the title; check that what you find is what the entry describes.

  1. 1.2017 ACC/AHA high blood pressure guideline — Hypertension, 2018. Search PubMed (opens in a new tab)
  2. 2.Exercise and blood pressure: meta-analysis — J Am Heart Assoc, 2013. Search PubMed (opens in a new tab)
  3. 3.DASH dietary pattern and blood pressure — N Engl J Med, 2001. Search PubMed (opens in a new tab)

Last revised . A grade is this entry's reading of the evidence, not medical advice.