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. 2025 May 2;17(9):1570.
doi: 10.3390/nu17091570.

Relationship Between Dietary Inflammatory Index, Diets, and Cardiovascular Medication

Teresa Lopez de Coca  1   2 , Pablo Maya  1 , Victoria Villagrasa  1   2 , Lucrecia Moreno  1   2
Affiliations

Relationship Between Dietary Inflammatory Index, Diets, and Cardiovascular Medication

Teresa Lopez de Coca et al. Nutrients. .

Abstract

Cardiovascular (CV) diseases remain a leading global health challenge, being influenced by diet and systemic inflammation. Adherence to healthy dietary patterns, such as the Mediterranean (MED), Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH), and Anti-inflammatory (AnMED) diets, may reduce the CV risk.

Background/objectives: We aimed to evaluate the association between the adherence to healthy dietary patterns and CV treatments.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in the Valencian Community, Spain. Nutritional data were collected using a food frequency questionnaire to assess the adherence to MED, DASH, and AnMED dietary patterns. Statistical analyses, including Kruskal-Wallis tests and linear regression models, evaluated dietary adherence, nutrient intake, the Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII), and medication use.

Results: Of 468 participants initially recruited, were included in the final analysis after applying inclusion and exclusion criteria (88.48% female, mean age: 66.16 ± 9.59 years). A significant association was observed between the DII and antihypertensive use (p-value < 0.001), with higher DII scores correlating with increased antihypertensive consumption. Among dietary patterns, the AnMED diet exhibited the strongest association with the DII (p-adjust < 0.001). Predictive modeling revealed a 14.28% increase in antihypertensive use per unit rise in the DII. The AnMED diet was the only pattern significantly linked to improved micronutrient intake, including calcium, magnesium, sodium, and potassium.

Conclusions: The DII is a useful tool for assessing the inflammatory potential of diets. Diets with lower DII scores, such as the AnMED diet, may reduce systemic inflammation and improve CV health. Adherence to the AnMED diet may lower blood pressure and reduce reliance on antihypertensive medications, supporting anti-inflammatory dietary patterns for CV disease prevention and management.

Keywords: anti-inflammatory; cardiovascular risk; diets; hypertension; nutrition.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Participant inclusion diagram.
Figure 2
Figure 2
(A) Relationship between DII and adherence to MED diet. (B) DII and adherence to DASH diet. (C) DII and adherence to AnMED diet. The broken line represents the cut-off point between high and low adherence to dietary patterns. (D) DII distribution according to the patient’s medication profile. (E) Berry consumption in relation to the patient’s medication profile. (F) Magnesium intake based on the patient’s medication profile.
Figure 3
Figure 3
(A) PCA of dietary variability based on AHT treatments. (B) DII in relation to AHT drug use. (C) Magnesium intake in relation to AHT drug use. (D) Berry intake in relation to AHT drug use.
Figure 4
Figure 4
(A) PCA representing dietary variability according to DII categorization. (B) Adherence to the AnMED diet in relation to DII. (C) Association between DII and AHT use. (D–G) Relationship between AHT use and key micronutrient intake: magnesium (D), calcium (E), potassium (F), and sodium (G).
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