t’s a standard part of any medical visit. Someone, typically a nurse, wraps a cuff around your arm and asks you to sit quietly while the cuff squeezes to the point of discomfort, then slowly eases its grip. Some numbers get jotted down in your chart. “136 over 79.” What does that even mean? “The… Continue reading Blood pressure: What do the numbers mean and why do they matter?
Tag: Hypertension
Hypertension During Pregnancy Linked to Cognitive Issues In Later Life
High blood pressure disorders during pregnancy are associated with an increased risk of thinking problems later in life, according to a study published in the March 1, 2023 online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology (AAN). According to a news release from AAN, researchers found that those with these… Continue reading Hypertension During Pregnancy Linked to Cognitive Issues In Later Life
Coffee and hypertension
Drinking two or more cups of coffee a day may double the risk of death from cardiovascular disease among people with severe high blood pressure (160/100 mm Hg or higher) but not people with high blood pressure not considered severe, according to research published in December 22 in the Journal of the American Heart Association,… Continue reading Coffee and hypertension
A Later Risk for Childhood Cancer Survivors
Adults who survive childhood cancer have a higher risk of cardiovascular disease than the general population, yet they are 80% more likely to be undertreated for several cardiovascular risk factors: hypertension (also called high blood pressure), diabetes and high cholesterol, according to new research, The report was published on June 8 in Journal of the… Continue reading A Later Risk for Childhood Cancer Survivors
Study: Telehealth Could Be Lifesaver for Hypertension Patients
People enrolled in a pharmacist-led telemonitoring program to control high blood pressure were about half as likely to have a heart attack or stroke compared to those who received routine primary care, according to new research published in Hypertension, an American Heart Association (AHA) journal. Researchers, led by study author Karen L. Margolis, M.D., M.P.H.,… Continue reading Study: Telehealth Could Be Lifesaver for Hypertension Patients
High-Salt Diet Triggers Changes in Mouse Brains
A diet high in salt is known to be a risk factor for high blood pressure, which in turn raises the risk of stroke and other health problems. Research has suggested that high salt intake may also be a risk factor for declining brain function with age. However, the mechanisms responsible for this link aren’t… Continue reading High-Salt Diet Triggers Changes in Mouse Brains
The Income Factor in Blood Pressure Treatment
People enrolled in a large clinical hypertension management trial were half as likely to control their blood pressure if they received care at clinics and practices in low-income areas, according to new research in Journal of the American Heart Association. Participants in a low-income area had a 25% higher chance of dying from any cause… Continue reading The Income Factor in Blood Pressure Treatment
Hypertension Drug May Hold Promise for Alzheimer’s
Seeking new treatments to slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease, researchers found the blood pressure drug nilvadipine increased blood flow to the brain’s memory and learning center among people with Alzheimer’s disease without affecting other parts of the brain, according to new research in the American Heart Association’s journal Hypertension. These findings indicate that the… Continue reading Hypertension Drug May Hold Promise for Alzheimer’s
Heart Disease and U.S.Soldiers
Active-duty Army personnel have worse cardiovascular health than civilians of similar ages, a surprising new study has found. Just 30 percent of soldiers had ideal blood pressure, compared to 55 percent of civilians, researchers reported in the Journal of the American Heart Association. Only a third of both soldiers and civilians weighed an ideal amount.… Continue reading Heart Disease and U.S.Soldiers
Lower Blood Pressure Isn’t Always Good
You’ve probably heard of “white-coat hypertension,” the phenomenon of having a higher blood pressure reading in the doctor’s office when compared to the same patient’s reading outside the clinic. Now there’s another type of distorted reading that’s exactly the opposite. Investigators say that approximately 20 to 30 percent of adults in the United States may… Continue reading Lower Blood Pressure Isn’t Always Good
Smoke-Free Policies Associated with Lower Blood Pressure Among Nonsmokers
Smoke-free policies have now been linked to lower blood pressure readings among non-smokers. It’s already known that these policies, which prohibit smoking in public places like bars and restaurants, are linked with fewer hospitalizations for heart disease among non-smokers. But this is the first study to associate the policies with lower systolic (top number) blood… Continue reading Smoke-Free Policies Associated with Lower Blood Pressure Among Nonsmokers
Yet Another Reason to Eat More Vegetables (And Fish)
A naturally occurring compound could be a new weapon in the fight against heart disease and hypertension. Researchers working with an animal model found that elevated levels of the compound, trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO), may reduce hypertension-related heart disease symptoms. Treatment with TMAO also reduced heart thickening (cardiac fibrosis) and markers of heart failure in in… Continue reading Yet Another Reason to Eat More Vegetables (And Fish)
Poor Oral Health Linked to Higher Blood Pressure and Worse Blood Pressure Control
People with high blood pressure taking medication for their condition are more likely to benefit from the therapy if they have good oral health, according to new research published in October 2018 in the American Heart Association’s journal Hypertension. The findings of the analysis, based on a review of medical and dental exam records of… Continue reading Poor Oral Health Linked to Higher Blood Pressure and Worse Blood Pressure Control
Faith-Based Approach to Changing Lifestyle Lowers Blood Pressure
A church-based program to encourage a healthy lifestyle lowered systolic blood pressure more than an educational program alone delivered in other churches, according to new research in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes, an American Heart Association journal. The Faith-based Approaches in the Treatment of Hypertension (FAITH) trial is the first and largest community-based study to… Continue reading Faith-Based Approach to Changing Lifestyle Lowers Blood Pressure
Intellectual, Social, Physical Activities Can Reduce Risk of Memory Loss Among Blacks
Blacks have nearly twice the rate of dementia as whites, putting them at higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s. But a new study shows that blacks with mild cognitive impairment – often a precursor to dementia – can reduce the risk of memory loss through a “behavioral intervention” that involves increasing social, cognitive and/or physical activity.… Continue reading Intellectual, Social, Physical Activities Can Reduce Risk of Memory Loss Among Blacks
Dangerous High Blood Pressure Spikes among Blacks Happen Five Times More than Average
Black adults experience dangerous spikes in high blood pressure, called a hypertensive crisis, at a rate that is five times the national average, according to a study presented at the American Heart Association’s Joint Hypertension 2018 Scientific Sessions, an annual conference focused on recent advances in hypertension research. Hypertensive crisis is a complication of high… Continue reading Dangerous High Blood Pressure Spikes among Blacks Happen Five Times More than Average
Very Low Blood Pressure Isn’t Always a Good Thing
Patients who have unusually low blood pressure and are taking prescribed medications are twice as likely to experience a fall or faint as are those whose treated blood pressure is higher, according to a new study. The Kaiser Permanente research, published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, focused on patients whose systolic blood pressure… Continue reading Very Low Blood Pressure Isn’t Always a Good Thing
Most Black Adults Likely to Develop High Blood Pressure Before Age 55
Approximately 75 percent of black and men women are likely to develop high blood pressure by the age of 55, compared to 55 percent of white men and 40 percent of white women in the same age range, according to new research in Journal of the American Heart Association, the Open Access Journal of the… Continue reading Most Black Adults Likely to Develop High Blood Pressure Before Age 55