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).

β-blockers could regenerate infant heart muscle, mitigate effects of congenital heart disease

Surgery can mend congenital heart defects shortly after birth, but those babies will carry a higher risk of heart failure throughout the rest of their lives. Yet, according to a Science Translational Medicine study published today by UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh researchers, β-blockers could supplement surgery to regenerate infant heart muscle and mitigate the lasting effects of congenital heart disease.

9 Oct 2019

Maintaining weight loss over long-term can benefit patients with Type 2 diabetes

People with Type 2 diabetes who regained weight forfeited the initial benefits of reduced risk of heart disease or stroke compared to those who maintained their weight loss, according to new research published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, the open access journal of the American Heart Association.

9 Oct 2019

Losing weight and keeping it off could help stabilize or improve cardiometabolic risk factors

People who lose weight and keep it off can stabilize or even improve their cardiometabolic risk factors compared to people who regain weight, finds a new study led by researchers from the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts.

9 Oct 2019

New drug Aliskiren shows promise for heart failure patients

A study published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences, as part of a special issue “Heart Failure: From Molecular Basis to Therapy”, in August 2019, shows that aliskiren, a drug approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), can improve survival for over 5 years, on average, and enhance life quality in patients who have been correctly diagnosed with heart failure.

9 Oct 2019

Dog owners live longer

Taking care of pets has been shown to provide a plethora of health benefits. Now, dog lovers may have a new reason to love their pets more as two new studies found that owning a dog is tied to a longer life, with a lower risk of premature death, especially among those who had a heart attack and stroke.

9 Oct 2019

Aliskiren drug can delay progression of congestive heart failure, lengthen survival rates

Researchers at the University of Arizona College of Medicine - Phoenix have shown for the first time in preclinical studies that Aliskiren, a drug that inhibits the enzyme that regulates blood pressure, can delay the progression of congestive heart failure and lengthen survival rates.

8 Oct 2019

Patients who use online patient portals more likely to get flu shots, check for blood pressure

Patients who use online patient portals are 50 percent more likely to get a flu shot and twice as likely to have their blood pressure checked as compared to patients who do not interact with these portals.

8 Oct 2019

Annual income drops linked to reduced brain health in middle age

Young adults who experience annual income drops of 25 percent or more may be more at risk of having thinking problems and reduced brain health in middle age, according to a study published online in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

8 Oct 2019

New app helps moms-to-be monitor blood pressure

Elevated blood pressure or gestational hypertension in pregnant mothers can lead to a multitude of complications that can affect the baby. In severe cases, pregnant mothers can develop preeclampsia, a sudden increase in blood pressure after the 20th week of pregnancy.

7 Oct 2019

Blocking a protein in immune cells may help reduce risk of heart attack and stroke

Blocking the mineralocorticoid receptor (MR)- a protein that helps maintain normal levels of salt and water in the body- in immune cells may help reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke by improving blood vessel health.

7 Oct 2019

Extent of health coverage gains from California gig worker law uncertain

A new California law that reclassifies some independent contractors as employees, requiring they be offered a range of benefits and worker protections, will likely expand health insurance coverage in the state, health policy experts say.

7 Oct 2019

Exercise can help protect cancer patients' heart from negative effects of therapies

Patients with cancer should receive a tailored exercise prescription to protect their heart, reports a paper published today in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, a journal of the European Society of Cardiology.

7 Oct 2019

Exercise may help reduce heart damage caused by chemotherapy

Cancer treatments can take a toll on the heart. The agents used to curb cancer cells can damage the heart or peripheral blood vessels. In some cases, they cause problems with clotting or blood lipids.

7 Oct 2019

New link between two important products of nitric oxide discovered

Ever since three US-based researchers working independently unveiled the role of nitric oxide in mediating blood vessel dilation, endothelial cell contraction and smooth muscle relaxation, their discoveries have served as a basis for novel treatments for high blood pressure and erectile dysfunction, among other conditions.

4 Oct 2019