Course Abstract
The prevalence of hypertension globally necessitates effective prevention and management strategies, with dietary interventions playing a crucial role. This presentation synthesizes recent evidence, including a comprehensive umbrella review by Aljuraiban et al. (2024), to evaluate the efficacy of various dietary interventions in the prevention and treatment of hypertension. By critically assessing meta-analyses of both interventional and observational studies, we aim to delineate the quality of the evidence supporting specific dietary practices. Our review highlights the importance of considering bias, precision, and the magnitude of effects in interpreting study findings. Key dietary interventions discussed include the reduction of sodium intake and the potential benefits of the Mediterranean and DASH diets. The presentation is designed for members of the Naturopathic Association of Primary Care Physicians, aiming to provide actionable insights into dietary recommendations that can be integrated into patient care. By focusing on rigorously analyzed evidence, we strive to empower healthcare providers with knowledge to guide their clinical decisions in hypertension management, ultimately contributing to improved patient outcomes.
Learning Objectives
1. Understand the Current Evidence: Participants will learn about the latest evidence from systematic reviews and meta-analyses regarding dietary interventions for hypertension prevention and management, focusing on the quality and applicability of the research.
2. Evaluate Intervention Efficacy: Gain the ability to critically assess the efficacy of specific dietary interventions, including sodium reduction and adherence to dietary patterns like the DASH diet.
3. Apply Evidence-Based Recommendations: Learn how to translate the latest research findings into practical, evidence-based dietary recommendations for patients with hypertension or at risk of developing hypertension.
4. Enhance Patient Care: Equip participants with the knowledge to integrate evidence-based dietary strategies into holistic patient care plans, with the goal of optimizing blood pressure control and cardiovascular health.
Example Curriculum
About the Instructor
Dr. Goldenberg has dedicated his career to teaching others how to critically evaluate the medical literature.
Dr. Goldenberg is an active researcher with numerous publications in high-impact scientific journals such as JAMA, BMJ, Annals of Internal Medicine and The Cochrane Library. His research focus includes traumatic brain injury, irritable bowel syndrome, evidence-informed practice, and research methodology. He is Associate Research Investigator at the Helfgott Research Institute and past Visiting Research Scholar at the University of Technology Sydney. He has presented nationally and internationally on evidence-based medicine and research methodology. His work has been highlighted by the BBC and The New York Times, among others, and his research publications have been ranked within the top 5% of all research tracked by Altmetric.
Dr. Goldenberg is a passionate educator and is faculty for the Academy of Integrative Health and Medicine’s Interprofessional Fellowship in Integrative Health and Medicine, where he teaches critical evaluation of the medical literature and evidence-informed practice. He is past adjunct faculty at Bastyr University, his alma mater, in which he enrolled after receiving honors and distinction in molecular biology from the University of Pennsylvania. He guest lectures widely and currently teaches post-graduate students at Helfgott in advanced research synthesis methods.
In 2014 Dr. Goldenberg created the medical education website www.DrJournalClub.com in order to share his passion for the interplay of evidence and clinical practice with the larger integrative medicine community which led to a successful podcast series on the topic launched in 2023.
As a naturopathic doctor, Dr. Goldenberg focuses on integrative approaches to small intestinal bacterial overgrowth and irritable bowel syndrome as well as other gastrointestinal complaints working in concert with patients’ conventional gastroenterologists. Dr. Goldenberg is passionate about the professionalization and development of the specialty of Naturopathic Gastroenterology and served as President of the Gastroenterology Association of Naturopathic Physicians from 2017 to 2019. He is a proud member of the first cohort of Fellows of the American Board of Naturopathic Gastroenterology (FABNG).
Dr. Goldenberg’s interest in evidence has taken him to forensic medicine. He has worked in the forensic arena since 2018 primarily in case-based and research literature -based evidence syntheses. He is a diplomate in Forensic Medical Science (Dipl.FMS) from the Academy of Forensic Medical Sciences, London, where he was awarded the Best Dissertation prize for his dissertation titled “The nature of, and potential solutions for, the worsening self-harm and suicide epidemic among youth today.” He is the Director of Research and Vice President of two businesses focusing on brain injury and forensic epidemiology, Brain Injury Research Solutions, LLC and the Endocrine & Brain Injury Research Alliance, SPC. He is currently pursuing his PhD in Forensic Epidemiology at Maastricht University where his dissertation focuses on advanced methodology in causation analysis under the mentorship of Dr. Michael Freeman, PhD, a world-renowned expert in Forensic Epidemiology.
