ABSTRACT: Fasting has been frequently practiced for religious or medical purposes worldwide. However limited literature assesses the impact of different fasting patterns on the physiologic and cardiac-related parameters in patients with hypertension. This review aims to examine the effect of fasting on cardiovascular outcomes in hypertensive patients. Medline, Embase and Cochrane library were systematically screened until March 2021 for observational prospective cohorts investigating the effect of fasting on cardiovascular outcomes. Manuscripts were assessed by searching for hypertension and fasting, both as MESH-terms and text words. The review included studies assessing Ramadan, intermittent, and water-only fasting. Water-only fasting reduces body weight, blood pressure, and lipolytic activity of fasting hypertensive patients without affecting average heart rate. Ramadan fasting enhances lipid profile, while it shows conflicting results for body weight, blood pressure and heart rate variability. Considering the limited studies in this field, further research should be conducted to support the clinical impact of fasting on the cardiovascular health of patients with hypertension.
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