[3] Non-pharmacological interventions may be intended to prevent or treat (ameliorate or cure) diseases or other health-related conditions, or to improve public health.
[4] Complex or multicomponent interventions use multiple strategies,[5] and they often involve the participation of several types of care providers.
[6] The first line of treatment for hypertension is lifestyle changes, including dietary changes, physical exercise, and weight loss.
Although these have all been recommended in scientific advisories,[7] a Cochrane systematic review of available relevant studies found that although weigh-loss diets did reduce body weight and blood pressure, beneficial effects of those changes could not be demonstrated, owing to the small number of participants and studies, and that therefore the impact of weigh loss on mortality and morbidity is unknown.
[9] If the blood pressure is high enough to justify immediate use of medications, lifestyle changes are still recommended in conjunction.