Hypertension (High Blood Pressure) News and Research

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Hypertension (or high blood pressure) is a condition where the pressure of the blood flowing through the arteries of the body is higher than it should be. Much like the pressure of the air in a tire, if the pressure of the blood is too high it can damage the arteries and organs of the body. Just like the tire, if the pressure suddenly becomes very high, catastrophic events can happen. Similarly, if the pressure remains somewhat elevated for a long enough period of time, premature wear and failure can occur.

Hypertension has its worst effects on the heart, kidneys, eyes, and brain. High blood pressure is a risk factor for heart attack, stroke, kidney failure, hemorrhages of the retina of the eye, and generalized atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries all over the body).

Treatment-related heart failure risk for rheumatoid arthritis patients revealed

Rheumatoid arthritis patients have no greater risk for heart failure with tumor necrosis factor-alpha therapy than with nonbiologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs, research suggests.

19 Nov 2012

Texting service helps patients reduce their blood pressure

A simple telehealth intervention could be an effective way to reduce blood pressure in patients, research suggests.

19 Nov 2012

Bevacizumab ruled out for stage III colorectal cancer

Findings from the AVANT trial do not support the use of bevacizumab in patients receiving oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy for resected stage III or high-risk stage II colon carcinoma.

19 Nov 2012

Decreased cognitive functioning associated with deterioration in kidney function

Decreased kidney function is associated with decreased cognitive functioning in areas such as global cognitive ability, abstract reasoning and verbal memory, according to a study led by Temple University. This is the first study describing change in multiple domains of cognitive functioning in order to determine which specific abilities are most affected in individuals with impaired renal function.

19 Nov 2012

Study: Regular exercise before, during pregnancy could have beneficial effects for women

Contrary to popular thought, regular exercise before and during pregnancy could have beneficial effects for women that develop high blood pressure during gestation, human physiology professor Jeff Gilbert said, summarizing a new study by his research team that appears in the December issue of Hypertension, a journal of the American Heart Association.

16 Nov 2012

ACOEM provides tools and resources to help employers manage diabetes

In recognition of November as National Diabetes Month, the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM) is providing tools and resources to help employers identify and respond to the impact of diabetes on worker health and productivity.

16 Nov 2012

Diabetics with low vitamin D levels more likely to develop clogged arteries

People with diabetes often develop clogged arteries that cause heart disease, and new research at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis suggests that low vitamin D levels are to blame.

14 Nov 2012

Women with migraines do not appear to experience cognitive decline

Women with migraines did not appear to experience a decline in cognitive ability over time compared to those who didn't have them, according to a nine-year follow up study funded by the National Institutes of Health.

13 Nov 2012

Tolvaptan improves kidney health in polycystic kidney disease

A vasopressin V2-receptor blocker slows the increase in total kidney volume and decline in kidney function in patients with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease, report US researchers.

12 Nov 2012

OSA treatment reduces office blood pressure

Treatment of obstructive sleep apnea can reduce blood pressure in men with hypertension, a clinical practice study has shown.

9 Nov 2012

Reminder of values helps African–Americans interact with physicians

Completing a values-affirmation task before a scheduled visit to the primary care physician could improve communications between African–American patients and their providers, show the results of a randomized, controlled study.

9 Nov 2012

CHOP presents new findings on pediatric cardiovascular disease at AHA 2012

Physician-researchers from the Cardiac Center at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia presented new findings on pediatric cardiovascular disease at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2012 in Los Angeles.

9 Nov 2012

HCT 1026 may help stem debilitating effects of muscular dystrophy

Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute researchers have found that an experimental compound may help stem the debilitating effects of muscular dystrophy by restoring normal blood flow to muscles affected by the genetic disorder.

9 Nov 2012

Physical activity reduces dementia risk in elderly

Physical activity reduces the risk for cognitive impairment, particularly vascular dementia, in older people who have developed white matter changes, shows research.

8 Nov 2012

AHA honors Children's National pediatrician with Meritorious Achievement Award

Children's National Medical Center is pleased to announce that David L. Wessel, MD, has received the prestigious Meritorious Achievement Award from the American Heart Association (AHA) Council on Cardiovascular Disease of the Young. The award is a national career achievement award recognizing an individual who has made a significant impact in the field of pediatric cardiovascular disease.

8 Nov 2012

Young adults with high blood pressure less likely to be diagnosed during doctor visits

Adults 18-24 years old with high blood pressure were 28 percent less likely to be diagnosed during doctor visits than those 60 and older, according to findings presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2012.

7 Nov 2012

Traditional CV risk factors linked to peripheral artery disease

Smoking, Type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and hypercholesterolemia are significantly associated with the risk for clinically significant peripheral artery disease in men, with each additional factor doubling the risk, conclude US and Dutch researchers.

6 Nov 2012

Comprehensive overview of vascular risk factors to Alzheimer's disease

Over the last 15 years, researchers have found a significant association between vascular diseases such as hypertension, atherosclerosis, diabetes type 2, hyperlipidemia, and heart disease and an increased risk of Alzheimer's disease.

6 Nov 2012

Racial differences in fatal coronary heart disease associated with risk factor burden

Despite treatment advances for coronary heart disease over the past 20 years, black men and women still have twice the risk of fatal coronary heart disease compared with white men and women, according to a study from the University of Alabama at Birmingham appearing in the Nov. 7, 2012 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

6 Nov 2012

University of Alberta medical research supports the 'obesity paradox'

Medical researchers at the University of Alberta studied the records of nearly 1000 patients who were admitted to hospital with pneumonia and noted those who were obese were more apt to survive compared to those who were of normal weight.

6 Nov 2012