Adherence to Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) Diet as a Protective Factor for Ischemic Stroke and Its Influence on Disability Level: A Case–Control Study in Lebanon

Abstract

Background: Hypertension is a major risk factor for ischemic stroke. An important strategy in controlling hypertension is dietary modification. The present study evaluates the effect of Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet on the risk of ischemic stroke. Methods: A case–control study was carried out, including 214 ischemic stroke cases recruited within the first 48 h of diagnosis and 214 controls, divided equally into hospitalized and non-hospitalized participants. Controls were matched to cases based on age and gender. Socio-demographic characteristics were assessed, in addition to adherence to the DASH diet, which was measured using a preconstructed DASH diet index (ranging from 0 (lowest) to 11 (highest)). For stroke patients, Modified Rankin Score (mRS) was measured to assess disability. Results: Smoking, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, atrial fibrillation, and myocardial infarction were significantly associated with ischemic stroke (p p p = 0.038 for sweets and p p = 0.46). A multivariate analysis showed that lower adherence to the DASH diet (p p = 0.041, OR: 2.49 × 10−8, CI95% 0–2.49 × 10−8). Conclusions: The relation between the DASH diet and risk of stroke highlights the necessity for strict adherence to dietary restrictions, suggesting a protective role for the DASH diet in stroke pathogenesis and prognosis.

Keywords

• ischemic stroke
• risk factors
• DASH diet
• hypertension
• disability