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).

New clinical trial tests non-invasive method to protect hearts during chemotherapy

A simple intervention, similar to the tension applied to the arm during a blood pressure reading, is being tested in a Phase II clinical trial to see if it can help cancer patients treated with common chemotherapy drugs, called anthracyclines, avoid heart failure.

20 Jun 2025

Aspirin lowers diabetes risk during COVID-19, but not without side effects

A large real-world Italian cohort study found that daily low-dose aspirin use significantly lowered the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. The protective effect appears linked to aspirin’s anti-inflammatory properties, though bleeding risks require caution.

19 Jun 2025

Weight loss surgery leads to significant boost in self esteem

Self-esteem scores more than doubled within one year of weight-loss surgery, according to a new study* presented today at the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) 2025 Annual Scientific Meeting.

19 Jun 2025

Brain age gap may influence the relationship between cognitive impairment risk factors

The difference between the brain's predicted age and actual chronological age, called a brain age gap, may influence the relationship between cognitive impairment risk factors, like high blood pressure and diabetes, and a person's cognitive performance, also known as thinking and memory skills, according to a study published June 18, 2025, in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

19 Jun 2025

FIM programs show promise in improving diet quality and food security

Food is medicine (FIM) programs that incorporate healthy food into health care for people with or at high risk for chronic disease show great potential in improving diet quality and food security, but additional research is needed to understand clinical outcomes, according to a systematic review of randomized controlled trials in the U.S conducted by the American Heart Association.

19 Jun 2025

Intermittent fasting shows similar weight loss benefits to traditional diets

Intermittent fasting diets appear to have similar benefits to traditional calorie-restricted diets for weight loss, suggests an analysis of trial evidence published by The BMJ today.

19 Jun 2025

Can salt substitutes lower blood pressure in diabetes? A new Cochrane review aims to find out

Researchers will systematically review whether replacing regular sodium salt with alternatives like potassium or magnesium salts helps lower blood pressure in adults with diabetes. The protocol outlines a rigorous plan to evaluate blood pressure effects, safety, and adherence using data from RCTs and quasi-RCTs.

18 Jun 2025

Nurse practitioners critical in treating older adults as ranks of geriatricians shrink

On Fridays, Stephanie Johnson has a busy schedule, driving her navy-blue Jeep from one patient’s home to the next, seeing eight in all.

18 Jun 2025

Heart scan study reveals low-fiber diets drive dangerous heart plaques

A Swedish study links low-fiber, high-red meat diets to increased coronary artery plaque risk, highlighting the importance of dietary choices for heart health.

18 Jun 2025

Muscle ultrasound shows promise for early insulin resistance detection

A simple ultrasound of a patient's thigh or shoulder muscle may detect insulin resistance before it progresses to type 2 diabetes or even prediabetes.

17 Jun 2025

Bariatric surgery linked to lower risk of psychiatric disorders than GLP-1 drugs

People who have metabolic and bariatric surgery are significantly less likely to develop psychiatric disorders compared to those who take weekly injections of GLP-1 anti-obesity medications, according to a new study presented today at the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) 2025 Annual Scientific Meeting.

17 Jun 2025

Bariatric surgery leads to greater weight loss than GLP-1 drugs after two years

Sleeve gastrectomy and gastric bypass were associated with about five-times more weight loss than weekly injections of GLP-1 receptor agonists semaglutide or tirzepatide, at the end of two years, according to a new head-to-head real-world study presented today at the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) 2025 Annual Scientific Meeting.

17 Jun 2025

Minor complication rates higher among Black patients after bariatric procedures

Black patients are more likely to experience minor complications after metabolic and bariatric surgery than White patients, according to new study presented today at the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery 2025 Annual Scientific Meeting.

17 Jun 2025

Higher BMI linked to increased risk of complications after bariatric surgery

The higher a person's body mass index (BMI), the higher their risk for complications after bariatric surgery, especially those with BMI of 50 or more, according to a new study presented today at the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) 2025 Annual Scientific Meeting.

17 Jun 2025

Childhood weight gain leads to taller adults without increasing obesity risk

In children with undernutrition, increasing weight in a child’s first decade of life can lead to significantly taller adults—with no increase in the risk of obesity or high blood pressure later in life, according to a new University of Michigan study.

16 Jun 2025

Study links gestational hypertension to increased seizure risk in offspring

A new study led by researchers at University of Iowa Health Care has revealed a significant association between high blood pressure during pregnancy (gestational hypertension) and an increased risk of seizures in children.

16 Jun 2025

Machine learning identifies key lifestyle factors for healthy brain function

A new study offers insight into the health and lifestyle indicators - including diet, physical activity and weight - that align most closely with healthy brain function across the lifespan.

16 Jun 2025

A revolutionary drug for extreme hunger offers clues to obesity’s complexity

Ali Foley Shenk still remembers the panic when her 10-year-old son, Dean, finished a 20-ounce box of raisins in the seconds the cupboard was left unlocked. They rushed to the emergency room, fearing a dangerous bowel impaction.

16 Jun 2025

Cardiovascular deaths surge among less educated Americans

About 525,000 more deaths occurred among US adults in 2023 than would be expected had pre-2010 mortality trends continued. More than 90 percent of these deaths occurred among individuals without a Bachelor's degree and were largely caused by cardiovascular diseases, underscoring how educational attainment can influence individuals' health opportunities and outcomes.

14 Jun 2025

Prenatal exposure to forever chemicals linked to higher teen blood pressure

Children exposed before birth to synthetic compounds called "forever chemicals" had higher blood pressure during their teenage years, according to new research published today in the Journal of the American Heart Association, an open access, peer-reviewed journal of the American Heart Association.

13 Jun 2025