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Mediterranean Diet and Physical Activity Decrease the Initiation of Cardiovascular Drug Use in High Cardiovascular
Margarita Ribó-Coll1,2, Sara Castro-Barquero1,3,4, Camille Lassale4,5
1August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBAPS), 08036 Barcelona, Spain.
Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland)
|April 3, 2021
Summary
Adhering to the Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) and engaging in leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) significantly lowers the need for cardiovascular medications. These lifestyle choices reduce the initiation of drugs for conditions like high blood pressure and diabetes.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular disease prevention
- Nutritional epidemiology
- Lifestyle medicine
Background:
- Cardiovascular disease remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality.
- Pharmacological interventions are common for managing cardiovascular risk factors.
- Lifestyle modifications like diet and exercise are crucial for primary and secondary prevention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between long-term adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) and leisure-time physical activity (LTPA).
- To assess the impact of MedDiet and LTPA on the initiation of various cardiovascular medications in high-risk older adults.
- To determine if combined adherence to MedDiet and LTPA offers synergistic benefits in delaying medication initiation.
Main Methods:
- Prospective cohort study within the PREvención con DIeta MEDiterránea (PREDIMED) trial.
- Assessed cumulative average MedDiet adherence and LTPA.
- Analyzed the risk of initiating glucose-lowering drugs, antihypertensives, statins, fibrates, antiplatelets, vitamin K antagonists, antianginal drugs, and cardiac glycosides.
Main Results:
- Increased MedDiet adherence showed a linear association with decreased initiation of all studied cardiovascular medications.
- LTPA was non-linearly related to delayed initiation of most cardiovascular therapies, with optimal benefits observed between 180-360 MET-minutes/day.
- Combined MedDiet and LTPA demonstrated synergistic effects in reducing the onset of glucose-lowering drugs, antihypertensives, vitamin K antagonists, and cardiac glycosides.
Conclusions:
- Sustained adherence to a MedDiet and regular LTPA are associated with a reduced risk of initiating cardiovascular-related medications.
- These lifestyle factors play a significant role in delaying the need for pharmacological interventions in high-risk older adults.
- Promoting MedDiet and LTPA can be a cornerstone strategy in cardiovascular disease prevention and management.
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