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).

Fake pot now illegal

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) had to resort to its emergency powers this Wednesday to ban K2 and other “fake pot” products that mimic the effects of marijuana. As of now it is illegal to possess or sell the five chemicals used to make the products for at least one year. The agency and the Department of Health and Human Services will further debate whether the chemicals should be permanently added to the federal list of controlled substances considered unsafe, highly abused and without medical use.

24 Nov 2010

Researchers find link between acrolein and multiple sclerosis

Researchers have found evidence that an environmental pollutant may play an important role in causing multiple sclerosis and that a hypertension drug might be used to treat the disease.

24 Nov 2010

Experience of ill health associated with reduction or cessation of alcohol consumption

In a cross-sectional study from the 2004 and 2007 Australian National Drug Strategy Household (NDSH) surveys, respondents were questioned about their current and past drinking, the presence of formal diagnosis for specific diseases (heart disease, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, cancer, anxiety, depression) and self-perceived general health status. The sample sizes for the 2004 and 2007 NDSH surveys were 24,109 and 23,356, respectively.

24 Nov 2010

Landmark comparative study supports more frequent hemodialysis

NxStage® Medical, Inc., a leading manufacturer of innovative dialysis products, today commented on the just- released findings of the Frequent Hemodialysis Network (FHN) Daily Trial that compared in-center hemodialysis administered under a three times per week schedule ("conventional dialysis") versus six shorter sessions per week ("short daily dialysis").

23 Nov 2010

Scientists make breakthrough in techniques for exploring faults in 'smooth' muscles

Clues to the causes of serious, and often fatal, diseases and conditions, such as heart disease, stroke and high blood pressure, are being investigated at the Universities of Strathclyde and Glasgow, both in Scotland, with the use of a -1 million grant.

23 Nov 2010

Dangers of excess fructose

More and more people have become aware of the dangers of excessive fructose in diet. A new review on fructose in an upcoming issue of the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (JASN) indicates just how dangerous this simple sugar may be.

23 Nov 2010

Medtronic enters merger agreement to acquire Ardian

Medtronic, Inc. and privately-held Ardian, Inc. announced today that they have entered into a merger agreement whereby Medtronic will acquire Ardian.

22 Nov 2010

Interim results from H.P. Acthar Gel study in patients with advanced diabetic nephropathy

On November 20 at the American Society of Nephrology 43rd Annual Meeting, interim results presented from an ongoing, randomized prospective study conducted independently by James A. Tumlin, MD, at the University of Tennessee College of Medicine Chattanooga indicated that 9 of 15 patients (60%) with advanced diabetic nephropathy who are currently enrolled in the study and have completed or are still undergoing a six month course of treatment with H.P. Acthar ® Gel have exhibited a clinically significant decrease in proteinuria and achieved stabilized renal function.

22 Nov 2010

Study finds common gene variant in African Americans increases risk of kidney disease

In African Americans with kidney disease related to hypertension (high blood pressure), a common gene variant is associated with a sharply increased risk of progressive kidney disease, according to a study presented at the American Society of Nephrology's 43rd Annual Meeting and Scientific Exposition. End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) associated with hypertension occurs in the African American population at a rate 13.1 times greater than that of their white counterparts.

22 Nov 2010

Inexpensive intervention helps patients with hypertension-associated kidney disease

In patients with kidney disease, the Western diet produces an acidic environment in the body that has numerous negative effects and worsens with age as kidney function declines.

21 Nov 2010

Alexion's Soliris Phase 2 clinical study for aHUS meets primary, secondary endpoints

Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced today that a Phase 2 clinical study investigating Soliris (eculizumab) as a treatment for patients with atypical Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (aHUS) who are resistant to plasma therapy met primary and key secondary endpoints with high levels of statistical and clinical significance, according to results presented today at the American Society of Nephrology (ASN) annual meeting in Denver.

21 Nov 2010

Potassium citrate effective for prevention and treatment of osteoporosis: Study

The Western diet creates an acidic environment in the body that removes calcium from bones and may contribute to the development of osteoporosis. Healthy adults who consume the standard US diet sustain a chronic, low-grade state of acidosis that worsens with age as kidney function declines, limiting urinary acid excretion. Reto Krapf, MD (University of Basel, in Bruderholz/Basel, Switzerland) and colleagues designed a study to see if daily alkali as potassium citrate supplement tablets might neutralize these effects.

20 Nov 2010

Tips to improve obese children's surgical outcomes and health

The American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) is taking action to educate parents about the increased risk of complications faced by obese children undergoing anesthesia. The number of obese children has doubled in the past two decades and tripled among adolescents and the ASA encourages parents to help improve both the surgical outcomes and long-term health of America's youth.

20 Nov 2010

Acceleron presents ACE-041 interim results for advanced cancer at EORTC-NCI-AACR Symposium

Acceleron Pharma, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company developing novel protein therapeutics that regulate the growth and development of tissues and cells, including muscle, bone, red blood cells, and vasculature, today announced the presentation of interim results from the first-in-human clinical study of ACE-041 in patients with advanced cancer at the 22nd EORTC-NCI-AACR Symposium on Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics in Berlin, Germany.

20 Nov 2010

Childhood obesity linked to adult metabolic abnormalities and cardiovascular disease

Mounting evidence linking childhood obesity to an increasing risk of obesity, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and other cardiovascular and metabolic disorders in adulthood is clearly presented in a comprehensive review article in the current issue of Childhood Obesity, published by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. The article is available free online.

19 Nov 2010

FibroGen to present FG-4592 phase 2a study of patients with stage 3-4 Chronic Kidney Disease and anemia

FibroGen, Inc., today announced that new data from a phase 2a study of patients with stage 3-4 Chronic Kidney Disease and anemia will be presented demonstrating that its first-in-class, investigational oral anemia therapy FG-4592 works differently than erythropoiesis stimulating agents (ESAs) to increase hemoglobin.

19 Nov 2010

MedStart Summer Enrichment Program helps students better understand medical conditions: Studies

Two new studies have shown that a unique program in East Harlem that helps middle school students learn practical health skills and gain a better understanding of medical conditions, such as diabetes and hypertension, resulted in increased interest in college attendance and medical careers among the students who attended the program.

19 Nov 2010

Caprini Risk Model helps predict VTE risk in patients undergoing plastic surgery

Patients undergoing plastic or reconstructive surgery should receive a risk assessment before their procedure to predict whether they'll develop potentially fatal blood clots in the legs or lungs, according to research at the University of Michigan Medical School. Researchers also found that 1 in 9 patients at highest risk based on that assessment will develop clots if not given clot-preventing medications after surgery.

19 Nov 2010

Study compares effect on HT status in mid, late life on dementia risk

Compared to women never on hormone therapy, those taking hormone therapy only at midlife had a 26 percent decreased risk of dementia; while women taking HT only in late life had a 48 percent increased risk of dementia, according to Kaiser Permanente researchers.

19 Nov 2010

Study finds adverse long term health effects of E coli infection

People who contract gastroenteritis from drinking water contaminated with E coli are at an increased risk of developing high blood pressure, kidney problems and heart disease in later life, finds a study published online in the British Medical Journal.

19 Nov 2010

Hypertension (High Blood Pressure) News and Research

Further Reading

Fake pot now illegal

Researchers find link between acrolein and multiple sclerosis

Experience of ill health associated with reduction or cessation of alcohol consumption

Landmark comparative study supports more frequent hemodialysis

Scientists make breakthrough in techniques for exploring faults in 'smooth' muscles

Dangers of excess fructose

Medtronic enters merger agreement to acquire Ardian

Interim results from H.P. Acthar Gel study in patients with advanced diabetic nephropathy

Study finds common gene variant in African Americans increases risk of kidney disease

Inexpensive intervention helps patients with hypertension-associated kidney disease

Alexion's Soliris Phase 2 clinical study for aHUS meets primary, secondary endpoints

Potassium citrate effective for prevention and treatment of osteoporosis: Study

Tips to improve obese children's surgical outcomes and health

Acceleron presents ACE-041 interim results for advanced cancer at EORTC-NCI-AACR Symposium

Childhood obesity linked to adult metabolic abnormalities and cardiovascular disease

FibroGen to present FG-4592 phase 2a study of patients with stage 3-4 Chronic Kidney Disease and anemia

MedStart Summer Enrichment Program helps students better understand medical conditions: Studies

Caprini Risk Model helps predict VTE risk in patients undergoing plastic surgery

Study compares effect on HT status in mid, late life on dementia risk

Study finds adverse long term health effects of E coli infection

Event guide: 4th Extra-Hepatic Lipid-Based Nanoparticles Delivery Summit eBook

Bringing real-time analytics to downstream bioprocess monitoring

Designing fluidic architecture for scalable diagnostic platforms

Evaluating new approaches for rare disease genomics

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