Dietary considerations in hypertension.

The physician, faced with the formidable statistic of one person in the five having hypertension, should be prepared to instruct patients about the role of dietary factors, such as salt, alcohol, and overeating, in the etiology, treatment, and prevention of high blood pressure and to provide counseling and help in making dietary changes. The physician can enlist the aid of a dietitian in all phases of the task.