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).

Blood pressure readings may help identify future dementia risk

Measures of blood vessel health derived from routine blood pressure readings may help identify adults at increased risk for dementia, according to research being presented at the American College of Cardiology's Annual Scientific Session (ACC.26).

17 Mar 2026

Ultra-processed food consumption associated with increased risk for heart disease

People who consumed over nine servings of ultra-processed foods per day on average were 67% more likely to suffer a major cardiac event than people consuming about one serving of such foods per day, in a study being presented at the American College of Cardiology's Annual Scientific Session (ACC.26).

17 Mar 2026

Brain breathing mechanism linked to persistent high blood pressure

A brain mechanism may explain why approximately 40% of people with hypertension continue to have high blood pressure despite taking medication. The discovery reveals potential targets for new treatments.

16 Mar 2026

Extended monitoring identifies many more severe pregnancy complication cases

Extending the monitoring period for severe pregnancy complications showed more than 40% of cases were missed using traditional delivery-focused monitoring, according to new research published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) https://www.cmaj.ca/lookup/doi/10.1503/cmaj.251425 that extended monitoring from conception to 6 weeks postpartum.

16 Mar 2026

Skipping breakfast may raise metabolic syndrome risk

The link between skipping breakfast and metabolic syndrome highlights the need for dietary strategies to improve cardiometabolic health in at-risk populations.

16 Mar 2026

In switching to original medicare, beware of Medigap plan refusals

It's open enrollment season for Medicare Advantage, when people currently enrolled in private managed-care plans can either sign up for a new one or switch to original Medicare through March 31.

16 Mar 2026

Updated guideline emphasizes earlier treatment for high cholesterol

The American College of Cardiology (ACC), the American Heart Association and nine other leading medical associations, today issued an updated guideline for the management of dyslipidemia-abnormal levels of one or more types of lipids or lipoproteins in the blood, including cholesterol and triglycerides.

13 Mar 2026

New RNA therapy enhances the heart's ability to repair itself after injury

After a heart attack, cardiologists can reopen blocked vessels and restore blood flow, but the muscle cells that died will never be replaced.

13 Mar 2026

Swapping red meat for plant-based meat rapidly lowers a key heart risk metabolite, trial finds

A randomized crossover trial found that replacing red meat patties with processed plant-based meat alternatives for six days significantly lowered circulating trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO), a gut-derived metabolite linked to cardiovascular risk. The plant-based phase also produced modest reductions in cholesterol markers but slightly increased weight and NT-proBNP, possibly due to higher sodium intake.

12 Mar 2026

Can eating almonds reduce inflammation in obesity?

Adding almonds to the diet of adults with obesity enhances inflammatory cytokine profiles and diet quality, highlighting a simple anti-inflammatory strategy.

12 Mar 2026

New digital shield against metabolic disease in youth psychosis

A new clinic-ready web-based risk prediction tool called PsyMetRiC is now available to forecast the risk of young people with psychosis developing cardiometabolic disorders such as obesity, metabolic syndrome and diabetes.

12 Mar 2026

Wegovy linked to higher risk of eye stroke and vision loss

Wegovy, a GLP-1 agonist for weight loss, may carry the highest risk of 'eye stroke' (ischemic optic neuropathy) and sudden sight loss of the semaglutide drugs, finds an analysis of unintended side effect reports published in the British Journal of Ophthalmology.

10 Mar 2026

Specific gut bacteria may signal long-term risk of heart and metabolic disease

Researchers analyzed gut microbiome profiles from 4,792 adults in the HELIUS cohort and tracked cardiometabolic outcomes over time to determine whether specific microbes predict disease risk. Certain microbes were linked to higher or lower cardiovascular risk, while plant-derived microbial metabolites suggested potential diet–microbiome interactions influencing heart health.

9 Mar 2026