Blood Pressure
v As blood is pumped by the heart, it pushes against the walls of arteries with a force known as blood pressure, which is an important physiological metric.
It is a crucial component of cardiovascular health and is frequently employed as a significant marker of general well-being.
v Anomalies in blood pressure can have a serious impact on health and are impacted by a variety of factors, including heredity, lifestyle, and environmental factors.
v The control of BP is a multi-step process involving numerous physiological systems.
v Adrenaline and noradrenaline are released when the sympathetic nervous system is stimulated by stress or danger [3].
v The parasympathetic nervous system, on the other hand, helps lower the BP by causing relaxation of the vessels and reducing the heart rate.
v The renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) is another vital component in controlling blood pressure.
v Aldosterone increases sodium and water retention and raises blood volume and blood pressure, is likewise stimulated by angiotensin II.
Risk Factors
1. Age: High blood pressure is more likely to occur as people get older. Blood vessel elasticity alterations and artery hardening are to blame for this.
2. Genetics: Having a history of high blood pressure in the family can raise the risk of acquiring the condition. Blood pressure regulation pathways may be impacted by specific genetic mutations or variants.
3. Unhealthy lifestyle: High blood pressure can be brought on by bad eating habits, inactivity, drinking too much alcohol, and smoking.
4. Obesity: Carrying extra body weight or being obese puts additional strain on the heart and blood arteries, raising blood pressure [4].
5. Medical diseases: High blood pressure is more likely to develop in people with certain medical diseases, including diabetes, kidney illness, and hormone imbalances.
6. On the other side, hypotension, or low blood pressure, can be brought on by things like:
7. Dehydration: Low blood pressure can result from insufficient fluid intake or excessive fluid loss.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Recent years have seen a significant increase in interest in omega-3 fatty acids because of their potential health advantages, especially in the areas of inflammation management and cardiovascular health.
Types of Fatty Acids Omega-3
Eicosapentaenoic Acid (EPA)
· Long-chain omega-3 fatty acids like EPA are mostly present in fatty seafood like salmon and tuna.
· Research indicates that EPA is essential in lowering the risk of myocardial infarctions.
Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA)
DHA is another important long-chain omega-3 fatty acid that is found in abundance in fish oil.
· Its involvement in anti-inflammatory reactions and benefit to cardiovascular health is supported by research.
Food-Based Sources
· Saturated Fish: Flavored with both EPA and DHA, omega-3 fatty acids may be found in abundance in salmon, tuna, mackerel, and sardines. It is advised to consume regularly for ideal heart health.
· Plant-Based Resources: Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), a precursor to EPA and DHA, may be found in abundance in flaxseeds, chia seeds, and walnuts, among other plant-based foods. They add to total omega-3 consumption, even though they are not as powerful as marine sources.
· Supplements with Fish Oil: To make sure that these vital fatty acids are consumed in sufficient amounts, omega-3 supplements made from fish oil are frequently employed.
The recommended dosage varies according to health objectives. When it comes to lowering the risk of sudden cardiac death and overall mortality in those with established heart problems, omega-3 fatty acids are vital constituents. These fats, particularly docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) are found in large quantities in fish oil and fatty seafood like tuna and salmon. Walnuts, canola oil, and flaxseed are other food sources.
In addition to their ability to prevent cardiac arrhythmias, omega-3 fatty acids have anti-inflammatory and anti-thrombotic qualities. On the other hand, omega-6 fatty acids, which are present in meat, seeds, and vegetable oils, tend to increase inflammation and blood clotting. In addition, diseases including rheumatoid arthritis, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia are treated with omega-3 fatty acids [1].
When using omega-3 fatty acids, there are no noteworthy drug interactions. The Heart American Heart Association recommends eating fish regularly; for those without a history of heart disease, this means consuming two servings or more each week; for people with heart problems, this means consuming fish every day. A daily dose of around 1 gram of EPA and DHA is recommended for cardioprotection.
Studies show that omega-3 fatty acids, especially EPA and DHA, alter the make-up of immune-related cells. Western diets typically produce cells that have high levels of the pro-inflammatory fatty acid arachidonic acid. On the other hand, EPA, and DHA from marine omega-3 fatty acids, such as those in fish oil, can take the role of arachidonic acid to produce a more anti-inflammatory environment.
Omega-3 fatty acids from diet contain several immune-modulating and anti-inflammatory properties that are important to diseases including stroke, myocardial infarction, atherosclerosis, and sudden death. Research demonstrates their beneficial effects on blood pressure, inflammation, platelet function, cholesterol, and triglycerides. The advantages of omega-3 fatty acids in lowering the risk of coronary heart disease and sudden cardiac death are further supported by epidemiological and clinical research.
The FDA has authorized fish oil, which is enriched in omega-3 fatty acids, to lower triglyceride levels and raise high-density lipoprotein. It has also demonstrated clinically significant antiarrhythmic qualities, most notably in lowering the risk of sudden death in myocardial infarction survivors. This emphasizes how crucial fish oil is to European post-infarction treatment plans.
Particularly in Western nations, current dietary intakes of extremely long-chain omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA) are frequently deficient. Fish oil supplements and fatty fish are good sources. When integrated into the body, these fatty acids affect several physiological functions, the composition of cell membranes, the production of lipid mediators, and the expression of genes, all of which support good health and disease prevention. Increased consumption has been advised since the advantages go beyond heart health to ailments including rheumatoid arthritis [2].
Role of Omega-3 Fatty Acids in Blood Pressure
The process via which omega-3 fatty acids, namely docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), reduce blood pressure includes activating vascular smooth muscle cells' large-conductance Ca2+-dependent K+ channels (BK channels). This activation triggers a crucial vasodilatory effect, which lowers blood pressure in the end.
· BK Channel Activation: In vascular smooth muscle cells, omega-3 fatty acids, particularly DHA, quickly and reversibly activate BK channels. The auxiliary subunit β1 and the pore-forming Slo1 subunit make up these channels. BK channel currents might rise by up to 20 times when exposed to DHA.
· EC50 and Activation: About 500 nM is the effective concentration required for half-maximal activation (EC50) of DHA. DHA activates BK channels in cell-free patches without the need for Ca2+ binding or voltage-sensor activation. Rather, it entails the instability of the closed conformation of the BK channel's ion conduction gate [3].
· Effect on Blood Pressure: Research on anaesthetized wild-type mice has shown that DHA reduces blood pressure in experimental circumstances. Significantly, the animals deficient in the Slo1 subunit do not exhibit this blood pressure-lowering effect, suggesting that the antihypertensive impact of DHA depends on the Slo1 BK channels.
· DHA Ethyl Ester and Supplements: BK channels are not activated by DHA ethyl ester, which is frequently included in nutritional supplements. It also counteracts DHA's stimulatory impact on BK channels. This shows that natural DHA may have more vasodilatory and blood pressure-lowering benefits than the type of omega-3 fatty acids (ethyl ester derivatives) found in certain supplements.
· Practical Implications: The discovery that long-chain omega-3 fatty acids may activate Slo1 BK channels to reduce blood pressure and that these fatty acids are receptors for these channels has practical implications for the usage of omega-3 fatty acids as nutraceuticals. It implies that the efficacy of omega-3 supplements in enhancing cardiovascular health may be influenced by their source and type [4].
Preclinical and Clinical Trials of Omega-3 Fatty Acids
The potential of omega-3 fatty acids (FA), namely docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), to decrease blood pressure (BP) was the focus of preclinical and clinical investigations. Trial participants who were 18 years of age or older were included until May 7, 2021, and the results showed that the combined DHA+EPA dosage was 2.8 g/d. A thorough examination of 71 trials with 4973 participants revealed a nonlinear, J-shaped dose-response curve. Between 2 and 3 grams per day was the ideal dosage for systolic and diastolic blood pressure decreases; hypertensive, hyperlipidemic, and older individuals showed greater and more linear responses. According to the meta-analysis, dosages higher than 3 g/d may provide significant advantages for decreasing blood pressure, particularly in populations with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease [5].
Furthermore, studies on the differing effects of DHA and EPA on blood pressure were carried out. According to several studies, DHA may be superior to EPA in lowering blood pressure and heart rate. In contrast to a placebo, randomized research that administered 0.7 g/day of DHA to participants demonstrated a noteworthy drop in diastolic blood pressure. Nevertheless, not all studies produced definitive findings, and in other cases, EPA did not show a discernible effect on heart rate or blood pressure [6].
Studies have also looked at how blood pressure is affected by omega-3 supplementation in various ethnicities. DHA supplementation significantly lowered blood pressure and heart rate in a trial including overweight males with hyperlipidemia; EPA supplementation had no statistically significant benefits. Significant reductions in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure were observed with omega-3 supplementation, according to a different prospective trial conducted on hemodialysis patients [7].
It was discovered that high-dose fish oil supplementation lowered blood pressure in different trials including hypertension individuals. Nonetheless, a particular emphasis was on investigating the potential effects on blood pressure in a healthy population sample of small changes in the consumption of omega-3 fatty acids. In people who are not using antihypertensive drugs, the results indicated an inverse relationship between DHA intake and both clinic and ambulatory diastolic blood pressure. Thus, rather than using high-dose supplements, boosting DHA consumption through diet change was suggested as an approach for the next research on the prevention of hypertension [8].
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