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).

Blacks five times more prone to hypertension than Whites

The hospital admission rate for Blacks with hypertension was 161 per 100,000 people in 2006 - nearly 5 times the hospitalization rate for Whites (33 admissions per 100,000), according to the latest News and Numbers from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

3 Jul 2010

New formula may speed up organ allocation process, improve transplant outcomes

Only a small fraction of transplant centers nationwide are willing to accept and transplant deceased-donor kidneys that they perceive as less than perfect, leading to lengthy, organ-damaging delays as officials use a one-by-one approach to find a willing taker.

2 Jul 2010

High fructose diet can cause hypertension

People who eat a diet high in fructose, in the form of added sugar, are at increased risk of developing high blood pressure, or hypertension, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Journal of the American Society Nephrology (JASN).

2 Jul 2010

United Therapeutics, Lee's Pharmaceutical enter distribution agreement for Remodulin Injection in China

United Therapeutics Corporation and Lee's Pharmaceutical Holdings Ltd. announced today that they have entered into an exclusive agreement for the distribution of Remodulin (treprostinil) Injection in China. Remodulin is a subcutaneously or intravenously administered prostacyclin analogue for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension. Lee's Pharmaceutical is a leading Chinese pharmaceutical company with both a strong cardiovascular focus and extensive commercialization experience.

2 Jul 2010

First analyses on impact of Medicare Part D presented at UMB's 2010 Academy/Health Annual Meeting

Some of the first analyses on the impact of Medicare Part D, as well as new insights on drug adherence patterns by chronic disease patients, will be presented today and tomorrow at the 2010 Academy/Health Annual Meeting by several University of Maryland, Baltimore teams of pharmaceutical health services researchers.

1 Jul 2010

Study results of triple combination therapy in patients with diabetes and hypertension presented at ADA 2010

Preliminary results of a pre-specified subgroup study analysis of patients with diabetes and hypertension demonstrated that the investigational triple combination therapy of olmesartan medoxomil / amlodipine / hydrochlorothiazide (40/10/25 mg) resulted in a statistically significant greater Least Squares mean reduction in blood pressure from baseline at week 12 (37.9/22.0 mm Hg versus 26.4-28.0/14.7-17.6 mm Hg, P less than or equal to 0.0013) as compared to corresponding dual combination therapy [olmesartan medoxomil (40 mg) / amlodipine (10 mg); olmesartan medoxomil (40 mg) / hydrochlorothiazide (25 mg); or amlodipine (10 mg) and hydrochlorothiazide (25 mg)].

1 Jul 2010

New guide to get pregnant

Infertility affects about 7 million Americans -- that's about one in six couples during their childbearing years. There are many reasons for infertility, with equal chances it's his medical issue as it is hers. A new book, "A Baby at Last!: The Couples' Complete Guide to Getting Pregnant" (Fireside Books, Simon and Schuster), points the way for couples to get past the emotionally wrenching obstacle of infertility and finally bring home their bundle of joy.

1 Jul 2010

Striking disparities persist; obesity rates highest among Blacks and Latinos

Adult obesity rates increased in 28 states in the past year, and declined only in the District of Columbia, according to F as in Fat: How Obesity Threatens America's Future 2010, a report from the Trust for America's Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

30 Jun 2010

Physically-active women have lower risk of dementia in later life

Women who are physically active at any point over the life course (teenage, age 30, age 50, late life) have lower risk of cognitive impairment in late-life compared to those who are inactive, but teenage physical activity appears to be most important.

30 Jun 2010

Lantus and Apidra improve outcomes, decrease glycemic variability: Study

Sanofi-aventis announced today results of a study which demonstrated that patients using Lantus® (insulin glargine [rDNA origin] injection) once-daily and Apidra® (insulin glulisine [rDNA origin] injection) before meals reported improved patient reported outcomes and decreased glycemic variability versus premix analog insulin. Two abstracts from this study were highlighted at the American Diabetes Association's 70th Annual Scientific Sessions (ADA).

29 Jun 2010

Family members who undergo gastric bypass surgery together experience better clinical outcomes

If you and a family member have gastric bypass together, chances are you'll both do much better than if you have surgery alone, according to a new study presented today at the 27th Annual Meeting of the American Society for Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery.

29 Jun 2010

Quark reports results from QPI-1007 siRNA drug study in rat ocular hypertension model of glaucoma

Quark Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a world leader in the discovery and development of RNAi-based therapeutics, today announced results from a second study of QPI-1007, a neuroprotective siRNA drug, in rat ocular hypertension model of glaucoma, conducted by Prof. Adriana Di Polo of the Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Universite de Montreal.

29 Jun 2010

Athletes live longer: Study

The study featuring in the July 2010 issue of The Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport (JSAMS), published by Sports Medicine Australia, examined the mortality and longevity of elite athletes to understand the association between exercise training and survival rates.

28 Jun 2010

Sunridge International delivers 60 PNT Units and 10,000 disposable rings to BV of China

Sunridge International, announced today that it has completed production and delivery of 60 PNT Units and 10,000 disposable rings to its exclusive distributor, Beijing Vision World Trading Company (BV) of China.

28 Jun 2010

Dark chocolate reduces blood pressure in people with hypertension

For people with hypertension, eating dark chocolate can significantly reduce blood pressure. Researchers writing in the open access journal BMC Medicine combined the results of 15 studies into the effects of flavanols, the compounds in chocolate which cause dilation of blood vessels, on blood pressure.

28 Jun 2010

FDA grants orphan drug designation for Chiasma's Octreolin

Chiasma, Inc., a privately held biopharma company, announced that the Food and Drug Administration has granted orphan drug designation for Chiasma's investigational new drug, Octreolin, an oral form of octreotide acetate that uses the Company's proprietary Transient Permeability Enhancer technology for the oral treatment of acromegaly, a hormonal disorder that results from an excess of growth hormone.

28 Jun 2010

Mylan granted final FDA approval for Procardia XL Tablets

Mylan Inc. today announced that its subsidiary Mylan Pharmaceuticals Inc. has received final approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for its Abbreviated New Drug Application for Nifedipine Extended-release Tablets USP, 30 mg, 60 mg and 90 mg, the generic version of Pfizer's Procardia XL® Tablets, a treatment for angina and/or hypertension.

25 Jun 2010

Quark Pharmaceuticals' siRNA drug candidates featured in two presentations at Glaucoma & Retinopathies 2010

Quark Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a world leader in the discovery and development of RNAi-based therapeutics, today announced that two of its siRNA drug candidates were featured in the following two presentations at the Glaucoma & Retinopathies 2010 conference, which was held June 21-22, 2010 in London, UK.

25 Jun 2010

University of Michigan professor recognised with PHA Award of Excellence

The Pulmonary Hypertension Association (PHA) and Actelion Pharmaceuticals US, Inc., today announced Dr. Vallerie McLaughlin of the University of Michigan Health System as the recipient of the annual PHA Award of Excellence in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH) Care. As part of the award, the University of Michigan System will receive a grant in the amount of $50,000 to support continued excellence in care for patients with PAH.

24 Jun 2010

Risk, incidence of VTE differs between races

A new study of 1,960 White-Americans and 368 Black-Americans with objectively diagnosed venous thromboembolism (VTE) showed that, compared to Whites, Blacks had a significantly higher proportion with pulmonary embolism (PE), including idiopathic PE among Black women, and a significantly higher proportion of Blacks with VTE were women (71% vs 61% for Whites) The study is published today in the American Journal of Hematology.

24 Jun 2010