Blood Pressure News and Research

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Blood Pressure is the force of circulating blood on the walls of the arteries. Blood pressure is taken using two measurements: systolic (measured when the heart beats, when blood pressure is at its highest) and diastolic (measured between heart beats, when blood pressure is at its lowest). Blood pressure is written with the systolic blood pressure first, followed by the diastolic blood pressure (for example 120/80).

Comprehensive review on non-drug interventions for treatment of high blood pressure

More and more, patients show up to appointments with hypertension expert John Bisognano, M.D., Ph.D. carrying bags full of "natural" products that they hope will help lower their blood pressure. And like most physicians, Bisognano doesn't always know if these products will do any good, or if they will cause any harm.

31 Aug 2011

Positive results from Bionovo's Menerba tolerability trial on menopausal hot flashes

Bionovo, Inc., a pharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of safe and effective treatments for women's health and cancer, today announced the positive results from the completion of their tolerability trial of Menerba (MF101) for menopausal hot flashes.

31 Aug 2011

Educational program about cardiovascular prevention in children can reduce parents' CVD risk

"A multidisciplinary educational programme in cardiovascular prevention directed to children of school age can reduce their parents' cardiovascular risk. Cardiovascular prevention could have more success focusing on children first, inducing healthier lifestyle habits in the whole family, "said investigator Luciana Fornari, from the University of Sao Paulo, Brazil.

30 Aug 2011

Study indicates large gap in use of proven therapies for heart attack or stroke

A global study in 17 countries led by McMaster University researchers has found too few patients are using drugs proven to give significant benefits in warding off a heart attack or stroke.

30 Aug 2011

Chocolate for the heart - benefits revealed

A comprehensive analysis of previous studies including more than 114,000 subjects has shown that high levels of chocolate consumption are associated with a significant reduction in the risk of certain cardiovascular disorders.

30 Aug 2011

Hurricane Irene affects supplies of several blood types

New York Blood Center (NYBC), serving more than 20 million people in New York City, Long Island, the Hudson Valley, and New Jersey, is following the emergency declarations of Mayor Bloomberg and other tri-state public officials with an emergency appeal for blood donors. The supply of several blood types, including O-negative ("universal donor") blood, which is normally maintained at the three-to-five-day inventory level, has dropped below the two-day minimum level.

29 Aug 2011

UCLA-Harvard medication study highlights 3 types of confusing outcome measures

Studies about medications published in the most influential medical journals are frequently designed in a way that yields misleading or confusing results, new research suggests.

29 Aug 2011

Philips to launch first sleep apnea mobile app at ESC 2011 congress

Royal Philips Electronics will provide clinicians from across the globe with a glimpse of future innovations designed to advance cardiac care, including the current management of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and associated cardiac conditions, during the 2011 Congress of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC), which opens today in Paris.

From Philips Healthcare 29 Aug 2011

Harmful effects of tobacco smoke on atherosclerosis are greater in women than in men

The harmful effects of tobacco smoke on atherosclerosis, one of the driving forces of cardiovascular disease, are greater in women than in men.

29 Aug 2011

Chocolate consumption might reduce risk of heart disease

High levels of chocolate consumption might be associated with a one third reduction in the risk of developing heart disease, finds a study published on bmj.com today.

29 Aug 2011

Statins protect people against death from respiratory illness, infections

The death rate among patients prescribed a statin in a major trial that ended in 2003 is still lower than those given a placebo, even though most participants in both groups have been taking statins ever since. ASCOT, the Anglo-Scandinavian Cardiac Outcomes Trial, was stopped early because the statin was so effective at preventing heart attacks and strokes, but a new analysis has shown that eight years on, the most significant difference between the groups is a reduction in deaths from infection and respiratory illness.

29 Aug 2011

People with lower socioeconomic status more likely to develop heart disease

People with lower socioeconomic status are much more likely to develop heart disease than those who are wealthier or better educated, according to a recent UC Davis study.

29 Aug 2011

Strong link between leisure-time physical activity and AF among men

A Norwegian survey carried out between 1974 and 2003 showed that there was a graded independent increase in the risk of AF with increasing levels of physical activity in a population-based study among men with ostensibly no other heart disease. In women the data were inconclusive.

29 Aug 2011

ESC introduces update to HeartScore application

The number of heart attack and stroke incidents in Europe is likely to reduce with the imminent launch of an update to the HeartScore® application. HeartScore® was first developed by the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) in 2004, and it helps clinicians rapidly estimate the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in individual patients using age, gender, basic health indicators, and lifestyle factors.

26 Aug 2011

Global obesity rates doubled over last 30 years, researchers say

"Obesity rates worldwide have doubled in the last three decades, even as blood pressure and cholesterol levels have dropped," according to a series of papers published Friday in the Lancet, the Associated Press/New York Times reports (8/25).

26 Aug 2011

Urinary protein excretion may contribute to increased risk of kidney failure in blacks

African Americans are four times more likely to develop kidney failure than whites. A new study has found that a condition that occurs when the kidneys are damaged and spill protein into the urine contributes to this increased risk.

26 Aug 2011

Fludrocortisone may help reduce unexplained chronic nausea in children

Heart rate and blood pressure regulation may hold the key to treating unexplained chronic nausea in children. In a new study by researchers at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, a drug commonly used to treat a condition known as orthostatic intolerance (OI), which causes dizziness and occasional fainting when patients stand for long periods, was shown to reduce debilitating chronic nausea in patients.

26 Aug 2011

New guidance for blood pressure monitoring

Blood pressure has been measured and recorded in the same way for nearly a century. This is set to change. Researchers believe that the earlier way has led to the misdiagnosis of many. This could be due to a phenomenon called “white coat hypertension” or rise in the blood pressure due to nervousness on meeting the medical staff. It is seen that at least 25% of the population suffers from white coat hypertension.

25 Aug 2011

CVRx introduces CE Mark approved Barostim neo for treatment of uncontrolled hypertension

CVRx, Inc., a private medical device company, introduced today its second-generation implantable device, the Barostim neo, for the treatment of uncontrolled hypertension. The Barostim neo features a new unilateral, 1mm electrode and a new smaller, more advanced stimulator to allow for more focused and efficient delivery of therapy. These improvements have led to shorter procedure times and extended longevity.

25 Aug 2011

Study finds biological indicators that help explain why obese people develop chronic diseases

UC Davis Health System researchers have discovered biological indicators that help explain why some obese people develop chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease, and others do not.

25 Aug 2011