Non-Pharmacological Management of Hypertension for Community-Dwelling Adults in Southeast Asia: A Narrative Review

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of non-pharmacological interventions on blood pressure for community-dwelling individuals with hypertension in Southeast Asia.

Lifestyle modifications are the optimal first interventions to treat and prevent hypertension. Specific cultural contexts in Southeast Asia may make introducing and sustaining healthy lifestyle interventions difficult for people.

A narrative systematic review was conducted.

A structured systematic search was undertaken using five databases (MEDLINE via PubMed, APA PsycInfo, Scopus, Web of Science and CINAHL) for studies conducted in Southeast Asia and published in English from 2003 to 2023.

References were imported into Covidence. Screening and data extraction were undertaken independently by two authors. Randomised controlled trials, non-randomised controlled trials, quasi-experimental studies, cohort studies, case-control studies, mixed methods and qualitative studies were included.

A total of 39 studies were included in the review. Four studies found that dietary interventions decreased systolic blood pressure by 7 to 11 mmHg. Four of the eight studies found that exercise interventions decreased systolic blood pressure between 4 and 16 mmHg. Eight studies found that combined diet and exercise showed a clinical difference in systolic blood pressure from 9 to 17 mmHg. Six studies found that health education resulted in a clinically valuable (9-16 mmHg) reduction in systolic blood pressure.

Non-pharmacological interventions have the potential to improve blood pressure control. These interventions are feasible and acceptable to Southeast Asian populations and should be integrated into community and primary care health education programs.