The Massively Obese Hypertensive Patient: An Analysis of Blood Pressure Response to Weight Reduction with Supplemented Fasting

A 42.4% incidence of hypertension was seen in 783 massively obese patients admitted to a supplemented fasting program between February 1974 and November 1976. Chosen for this study were the 99 hypertensives who had not received any antihypertensive medication before admission. The blood pressure response after 1 week of inhospital fasting was compared with that at the end of a period of outpatient fasting. Reduction in blood pressure was noted in 85 patients by the end of the first week; by the end of the fasting period, 68 patients were normotensive. We conclude that the elevated blood pressure common in a high percentage of massively obese patients is primarily volume-dependent.