Investigation of Dietary Nitrate Effects in Hypertension-induced Target Organ Damage

In hypertension persistent raised blood pressure (BP) is associated with endothelial dysfunction, arterial stiffness and left ventricular (LV) remodeling that are key phenomena associated with the pathogenesis and complications of hypertension. One of the main substances that the healthy endothelium produces that is responsible for maintaining the patency of blood vessels is nitric oxide (NO). In hypertension, one of the key pathogenic effects is the dysfunction of the endothelium characterized by a decrease in ability to generate nitric oxide (NO). Previous studies have shown that dietary inorganic nitrate supplementation lowers blood pressure (Kapil et al. 2015), however, whether this approach might also improve endothelial function and LV remodeling is unknown. The effects of inorganic nitrate are due to its conversion in the body to inorganic nitrite and thereafter to NO. This study will assess the effects of dietary inorganic nitrate on LVH using cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (NITRATE-LVH arm). In addition, the effects of dietary inorganic nitrate on central aortic blood pressure, arterial stiffness using pulse wave velocity and endothelial function using flow mediated dilatation will be evaluated (NITRATE-CBP arm).