Gender differences and similarities in effects of nonpharmacologic approaches to the treatment of mild hypertension

TAIM, the Trial of Antihypertensive Interventions and Management, studied the effects of dietary sodium restriction or weight reduction, alone and in combination with low‐dose diuretic or beta blocker on blood pressure after 6 months. The responses to these interventions of men compared to women are presented for those persons randomized to placebo drug. Men undergoing a weight‐reduction intervention were able to lose more weight (5.9 kg) than women (3.1 kg), P ⩽ 05. Men also had a greater percentage of wright loss and a greater reduction in body mass index (BMI), although not significantly so. Weight loss was correlated to a decrease in triglycerides (r = 0.37), but not in cholesterol. The weight‐reduction intervention lowered triglycerides more in men (−81 mg/dl) than in women(−21 mg/dl; P = .008). There were no sex differences in abiility to reduce sodium or increase potassium for those in the sodium restriction group. Both men and women decreased their sodium to the same extent by 36 mmol/day and 25 mmol, respectively, and increased their potassium by 13 mmol and 11 mmol, respectively. Blood pressure response at 6 months was greater in men than in women on weight reduction (a drop in diastolic pressure of −11 mmHg in men and 7 mmHg in women, P =.04). Sodium restriction had a similar effect on blood pressure in both sexes, and among men resulted in a significantly smaller reduction in blood pressure than did weight reduction. © 1995 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.