Following the landmark SPRINT trial, there is a growing body of evidence for reducing systolic blood pressure targets, resulting in the development of new US guidelines. However, this has led to many questions about the impact of such fundamental changes in blood pressure management, and whether they should be implemented in other constituencies. Two studies… Continue reading How Low Is Too Low? Experts Debate Blood Pressure Targets in the Post-SPRINT Era
Tag: Hypertension
Not Enough Women Included in Some Heart Disease Clinical Trials
Women are underrepresented in clinical trials for heart failure, coronary artery disease and acute coronary syndrome but proportionately or overrepresented in trials for hypertension, atrial fibrillation and pulmonary arterial hypertension, when compared to incidence or prevalence of women within each disease population, according to a study in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.… Continue reading Not Enough Women Included in Some Heart Disease Clinical Trials
Music Intensifies the Effects of Anti-Hypertensive Medication
In addition to remembering to take the medication prescribed by their cardiologists at the right times and going to the trouble of making healthy lifestyle changes, patients with high blood pressure (hypertension) can include a pleasing beneficial activity in routine treatment of the disease thanks to the discovery that listening to music significantly enhances the… Continue reading Music Intensifies the Effects of Anti-Hypertensive Medication
Relaxation Response May Lower Blood Pressure
High blood pressure — or hypertension — is a major risk factor for heart attack and stroke that affects as many as 100 million Americans and 1 billion people worldwide. Decades of research have demonstrated that the relaxation response that can be achieved through relaxation techniques such as yoga or mediation can reduce blood pressure… Continue reading Relaxation Response May Lower Blood Pressure
To Battle High Blood Pressure, Most People Prefer Taking a Pill Over Exercising
In a survey to assess treatment preferences for high blood pressure, respondents were more likely to choose a daily cup of tea or a pill over exercise, according to preliminary research presented at the American Heart Association’s Quality of Care and Outcomes Research Scientific Sessions 2018, a premier global exchange of the latest advances in… Continue reading To Battle High Blood Pressure, Most People Prefer Taking a Pill Over Exercising
Top Cardiologist Disagrees with New Hypertension Guidelines
Last November, a panel of medical professionals issued guideline that redefine blood pressure readings. Now, one of the nation’s leading cardiologists is challenging them, saying that the lowered numbers may lead to unnecessarily aggressive blood pressure treatments. Robert A. Phillips, M.D., Ph.D., Houston Methodist Hospital’s chief medical officer, said that while patients at higher risk… Continue reading Top Cardiologist Disagrees with New Hypertension Guidelines
New Blood Pressure App and Hardware Rivals Arm Cuff Accuracy
Cuff devices for blood pressure measurement are inconvenient, and mobile device apps for blood pressure measurement that are now being introduced may lack accuracy. To solve this problem, a team of Michigan State University scientists has created a new app and hardware for smartphones to measure blood pressure with accuracy that may rival arm-cuff devices.… Continue reading New Blood Pressure App and Hardware Rivals Arm Cuff Accuracy
Why Are My Ears Ringing?
For many, the quest for a quiet space is about more than finding a noise-free room to gather one’s thoughts. About 10 percent of the U.S. population, about 25 million Americans, has experienced tinnitus (ringing in the ears) lasting at least five minutes in the past year, according to the National Institute on Deafness and… Continue reading Why Are My Ears Ringing?
Salt and Impaired Cognition
Here’s another reason to avoid salt besides its connection to hypertension. Scientists who conducted a mouse study have concluded that salt is linked to impaired cognition. The study was published in Nature Neuroscience. The researchers discovered that changes in the gut caused by a high-salt diet are linked to impaired blood flow to the brain.… Continue reading Salt and Impaired Cognition
Controlling Hypertension: A Multi-Level Approach Gets Best Results
Patients with high blood pressure can best achieve control of the condition via both physician and non-physician treatment approaches, according to a review published in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine. High blood pressure, or hypertension, is the leading risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Despite strong evidence that antihypertensive medications and lifestyle modifications reduce blood… Continue reading Controlling Hypertension: A Multi-Level Approach Gets Best Results
New Guidelines Expand Definition of High Blood Pressure
Experts are resetting the numbers indicating high blood pressure, and that means that 46 percent of U.S. adults now are identified as having the condition, compared with 32 percent under the previous definition. Those guidelines, released Monday, Nov. 14, by the American Heart Association (AHA), also redefine the condition and provide tactics for doctors to… Continue reading New Guidelines Expand Definition of High Blood Pressure
A Neglected Factor in Female Hypertension?
Doctors treating women with high blood pressure should consider measuring their level of aldosterone, a hormone that at high levels damages the cardiovascular system, according to new research. If aldosterone levels are high, they should consider prescribing drugs that directly target the hormone’s receptor, says Dr. Eric Belin de Chantemele, physiologist in the Vascular Biology… Continue reading A Neglected Factor in Female Hypertension?
A New Factor in Hypertension
Research led by scientists at the University of Birmingham, UK, has revealed a new cause of high blood pressure, and the discovery could lead to major changes in managing the disease. High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, often goes unnoticed but if left untreated can increase the risk of heart attack and stroke. Studies… Continue reading A New Factor in Hypertension
Potassium May Help Reduce Hypertension
Eating potassium-rich foods like avocados, sweet potatoes, spinach, beans, bananas — and even coffee — could be key to lowering blood pressure, according to new research. “Decreasing sodium intake is a well-established way to lower blood pressure,” said Alicia McDonough, PhD, professor of cell and neurobiology at the Keck School of Medicine of USC. “But… Continue reading Potassium May Help Reduce Hypertension
Low-Dose Hypertension Pill Shows Remarkable Results
Researchers have concluded based a small but clinically important trial that a new ultra-low dose pill to treat hypertension has produced startling results. Every patient in the pilot trial conducted by The George Institute for Global Health, in Sydney, Australia, saw their blood pressure levels drop to normal levels in just four weeks. Professor Clara… Continue reading Low-Dose Hypertension Pill Shows Remarkable Results
New Treatment Target for Blood Pressure
New, more effective treatments for high blood pressure could be possible thanks to the discovery that the nitric oxide that regulates blood pressure is formed in nerves rather than in the walls of blood vessels. The surprising findings, published March 6th 2017 in the journal Hypertension, by researchers at King’s College London follows a world-first… Continue reading New Treatment Target for Blood Pressure
When Medications Work against Weight Loss
While diet, exercise and behavior modification are essential components of obesity management, a successful long-term weight loss strategy should also include avoiding or minimizing medication-related weight gain, according to researchers. In a paper published in Gastroenterology, investigators from the Comprehensive Weight Control Center at Weill Cornell Medicine underscore the necessity for physicians to evaluate the… Continue reading When Medications Work against Weight Loss
Personalized Treatment for Those in Blood Pressure “Gray Zone”
Using data from a national study, Johns Hopkins researchers determined in 2017 that heart CT scans can help personalize treatment for patients whose blood pressure falls in the “gray zone” of just above normal or mild high blood pressure. A release from Johns Hopkins explains that previously the appropriate blood pressure treatment for these patients… Continue reading Personalized Treatment for Those in Blood Pressure “Gray Zone”