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).

Road traffic noise linked to immediate heart and blood vessel stress

A new study published in the journal Cardiovascular Research shows that a single night of road traffic noise, at levels that are typical of those living in a city, causes stress to the heart and blood vessels.

25 Feb 2026

Nearly 6 in 10 women in the U.S. may have cardiovascular disease in the next 25 years

Driven by rising rates in high blood pressure, nearly 6 in 10 women in the U.S. will have some type of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in the next 25 years, according to a new scientific statement published today in Circulation, the peer-reviewed, flagship journal of the American Heart Association, a global force changing the future of health for all.

25 Feb 2026

Parental obesity before conception raises offspring fatty liver risk

Pre-pregnancy parental overweight and obesity is linked to the next generation's heightened risk of developing fatty liver disease, a potential precursor to cirrhosis and liver failure, suggests research published online in the journal Gut.

24 Feb 2026

Attacks on healthcare surge in Ukraine

As Ukraine enters the fifth year of full-scale war, its people have endured the highest number of attacks on their health care in 2025 – increasing by nearly 20% compared to 2024.

24 Feb 2026

WashU Medicine receives 80 million to study exceptional longevity

Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have received an $80 million grant to continue research into the mysteries of exceptional longevity.

23 Feb 2026

Study connects vascular health to early Alzheimer’s brain changes

Subtle changes in how blood flows through the brain and how brain tissue uses oxygen may be closely linked to Alzheimer's disease risk, according to new research from the Mark and Mary Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute (Stevens INI) at the Keck School of Medicine of USC.

23 Feb 2026

New review explores whether berries can slow cognitive decline linked to obesity

This systematic review in Nutrients evaluates human studies investigating whether polyphenol-rich berry consumption can modulate obesity-related metabolic dysfunction and support cognitive performance, particularly in individuals at risk of mild cognitive impairment. Evidence suggests modest memory benefits and possible metabolic improvements, although biomarker findings and long-term clinical relevance remain uncertain.

22 Feb 2026

Should drug companies be advertising to consumers?

Tamar Abrams had a lousy couple of years in 2022 and '23. Both her parents died; a relationship ended; she retired from communications consulting.

20 Feb 2026

Grip strength links to longer life in women over 60

Higher grip strength in older women correlates with lower all-cause mortality, underscoring the need for muscle-strengthening activities in public health.

20 Feb 2026

Brainstem nerve cells found to stabilize blood pressure fluctuations

Doctors usually focus on a person's average blood pressure, but research increasingly shows that how much blood pressure fluctuates from moment to moment is just as important.

19 Feb 2026

Monthly produce prescriptions do not improve blood sugar

Findings from a study on produce prescriptions show no significant improvement in blood sugar control, emphasizing the importance of addressing food insecurity.

19 Feb 2026

Intermittent calorie restriction proves as effective as daily calorie cuts for type 2 diabetes

A post-hoc analysis of two clinical trials compared continuous calorie restriction with early time-restricted eating in adults with type 2 diabetes and overweight or obesity over three months. Both approaches improved weight, body composition, and metabolic health, with no clear superiority except for lower dropout with intermittent restriction.

18 Feb 2026

Hormone replacement therapy shows no rise in overall mortality

Menopausal hormone therapy (commonly known as hormone replacement therapy or HRT) is not associated with an increased risk of death, finds a Danish study of over 800,000 women published by The BMJ today.

18 Feb 2026

Ancient mind body practice matches walking for hypertension control

High blood pressure is one of the leading preventable risk factors for heart disease. Clinical guidelines recommend regular physical activity, yet long-term adherence to exercise programs is challenging for many people, particularly when routines require equipment, dedicated space, gym memberships or ongoing supervision.

18 Feb 2026

Undiagnosed diabetes and kidney disease raise heart risk

Diabetes and kidney disease are major risk factors for heart disease, yet many cases are undiagnosed. In addition, a consumer survey done last fall suggests that most people don't realize that their heart, kidney and metabolic health (how the body creates, uses and stores energy) are connected.

18 Feb 2026

Stroke care varies across Medicare coverage types

A first-of-its-kind analysis has revealed significant differences in stroke outcomes and stroke care for patients on government-run traditional Medicare plans versus those on Medicare Advantage, offered by private insurers.

18 Feb 2026

Short-duration psychedelic therapy shows promise for major depression treatment

A phase IIa randomized trial found that intravenous dimethyltryptamine (DMT) with structured psychological support produced rapid reductions in depressive symptoms in adults with major depressive disorder. Improvements were statistically significant versus placebo at two weeks, with mostly mild-to-moderate adverse events and the need for larger confirmatory studies emphasized.

17 Feb 2026

Reducing maternal smoking during pregnancy could lower hypertension rates in children

Maternal smoking during pregnancy may be associated with higher blood pressure and increased risk of hypertension in children, according to a new ECHO Cohort study led by Lyndsey Shorey-Kendrick, PhD, of Oregon Health & Science University and Christine Ladd-Acosta, PhD, of Johns Hopkins University.

17 Feb 2026

Redefining cardiovascular care for women

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the leading cause of death for women across the globe, yet significant progress has been made in prevention, diagnosis and management thanks to more sex-specific research, as noted in a special Go Red for Women issue of Circulation, the American Heart Association's flagship, peer-reviewed scientific journal, published today.

17 Feb 2026

Study links microbe-rich diets with better insulin and cholesterol markers

This exploratory Australian study developed a database to estimate live microbe content in foods and examined associations with cardiometabolic health indicators in adults. Higher intake of foods estimated to contain live microbes was linked with favourable markers such as higher HDL cholesterol and lower BMI, insulin, and waist circumference, although causality cannot be inferred.

16 Feb 2026