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).

Public health policy should stress on reduction in sodium intake

Reducing sodium intake is a major public health priority that must be acted upon by governments and nongovernmental organizations to improve population health, states an article http://www.cmaj.ca/press/cmaj090361.pdf in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) www.cmaj.ca.

15 Sep 2009

Concept of wellness can yield greater savings

According to a new survey released today, 90 percent of plan sponsors believe that minimal attention to personal health and increased incidence of chronic illness such as diabetes and heart disease are at the root of rising health care costs.

14 Sep 2009

Phase III clinical trial results of DAR-31 published

Gilead Sciences, Inc. today announced the publication of data from DAR-311 (DORADO), a Phase III clinical trial evaluating the company’s once-daily oral endothelin receptor antagonist (ERA) darusentan as an add-on treatment for resistant hypertension, defined as the failure to achieve blood pressure goal while adhering to full doses of an appropriate three (or more) drug antihypertensive regimen that includes a diuretic.

14 Sep 2009

Study estimates economic benefits of lowering sodium consumption

Reducing Americans' average intake of sodium to the amount recommended by health officials could save the nation as much as $18 billion annually in avoided health care costs and improve the quality of life for millions of people, according to a new RAND Corporation study.

14 Sep 2009

End stage renal disease can be delayed by early identification of CKD

Early identification of individuals with chronic kidney disease (CKD) can delay the onset of end stage renal disease (ESRD) and the need for chronic dialysis treatments. The incidence of CKD continues to grow, and early identification and intervention are critical to manage this costly disease.

11 Sep 2009

Wisconsin researchers identify the genetic region responsible for cardiovascular collapse during anesthesia

Researchers at The Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee have identified the genetic region in rats responsible for cardiovascular collapse during anesthesia. While it is well known that people have different cardiovascular sensitivity to anesthesia causing some to collapse even when low doses are administered, the mechanism responsible for this susceptibility is not clear.

11 Sep 2009

Endothelin research update to be presented at APS' 11th International Conference

Recent research to block the effects of endothelin, a powerful substance that constricts blood vessels and stimulates cell growth, has led to successful treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension and provides hope for treating other chronic diseases.

10 Sep 2009

BioTrends Research Group ranked by Philadelphia 100 for the second consecutive time

For the second year in a row, BioTrends Research Group, Inc. has been ranked as one of the fastest-growing, privately-held companies in the Philadelphia region by the Philadelphia 100, a joint project of the Wharton Small Business Development Center, the Entrepreneurs' Forum of Greater Philadelphia, and the Philadelphia Business Journal.

10 Sep 2009

Non-invasive CR-2000 Research System to be used in START clinical trial

Hypertension Diagnostics, Inc., today announced that its non-invasive HDI/PulseWave CR-2000 Research System (CR-2000) has been selected for use in the Strategic Timing of AntiRetroviral Treatment (START) substudy on Arterial Elasticity that will examine blood vessel function and cardiovascular risk during HIV infection.

10 Sep 2009

Researchers find link between traffic noise and increased blood pressure

Traffic noise raises blood pressure. Researchers writing in BioMed Central's open access journal Environmental Health have found that people exposed to high levels of noise from nearby roads are more likely to report suffering from hypertension.

10 Sep 2009

Lead exposure may result in cardiovascular mortality

Growing evidence shows that exposure to lead in the environment is associated with cardiovascular disease, including increased risk of hypertension. However, those studies have looked at lead concentrations in blood, not bone lead, a better indicator of cumulative lead exposure over time.

10 Sep 2009

Obesity experts call on policymakers to adopt obesity recommendations

The Obesity Society and other steering committee members of the Strategies to Overcome and Prevent (STOP) Obesity Alliance, and two former US Surgeons General, join together today to develop effective recommendations to urge policymakers to act on the inclusion of obesity as the largest and most urgent driving factor in healthcare reform.

10 Sep 2009

Exposure to air pollution can cause heart attack

It's well known that measures such as exercise, a healthy diet and not smoking can help reduce high blood pressure, but researchers at the University of Michigan Health System have determined the very air we breathe can be an invisible catalyst to heart disease.

8 Sep 2009

Angiotensin II receptors not detectable in pregnant or preeclamptic women

A new study by researchers at Wake Forest University School of Medicine reveals a key component in the development of preeclampsia in pregnant women, a condition that can result in miscarriage and maternal death.

5 Sep 2009

Americans' health perceptions contradict national statistics

We think we’re healthier than we actually are, suggests a new survey from market research leader Mintel. Surveying Americans about their health, Mintel found people’s perceptions strongly contradict national statistics about obesity, illness and wellness.

4 Sep 2009

Positive impact on medication adherence through Aetna's care management program

Aetna announced today results of an analysis from the first half of 2009, demonstrating an average medication adherence of over 95 percent for its members taking Specialty medications. Disease states evaluated in Aetna’s analysis include: multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, HIV, Crohn's disease, Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH), psoriasis, Hepatitis C and asthma.

4 Sep 2009

Brown University neuroscience professor awarded EUREKA grant

Brown University neuroscience professor Gilad Barnea will receive a nearly $1.3 million, four-year federal grant toward development of a method to selectively monitor the activation of each of the five receptors for the neurotransmitter dopamine in the brain.

4 Sep 2009

SAFLUTAN launched in United Kingdom and Spain

Merck Sharp & Dohme (MSD) has launched SAFLUTAN (tafluprost) in the United Kingdom and Spain, and additional launches in other countries are expected over the next several months, pending regulatory approvals, the Company said today.

3 Sep 2009

Merck's SAFLUTAN launched in the UK and Spain

Merck & Co., Inc. has launched SAFLUTAN® (tafluprost) in the United Kingdom and Spain, and additional launches in other countries are expected over the next several months, pending regulatory approvals, the Company said today. SAFLUTAN is a preservative free, synthetic analogue of the prostaglandin F2α for the reduction of elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) in appropriate patients with primary open-angle glaucoma and ocular hypertension.

3 Sep 2009

NetBase Solutions launches healthBase Content Intelligence platform

NetBase Solutions, Inc. today launched healthBase (healthbase.netbase.com), a public showcase of NetBase's Content Intelligence platform, which is able to read sentences inside documents, linguistically understand the meaning and power breakthrough search and discovery solutions.

3 Sep 2009