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).

Sleep apnea found to be more common in young female athletes than expected

According to a new study, presented at the American College of Cardiology (ACC) Care of the Athletic Heart 2025 conference, sleep apnea may be more prevalent in younger female athletes than previously believed, especially among female athletes with higher levels of training.

13 Jun 2025

VR training tool helps clinicians improve infection control practices

Infection control researchers at Mass General Brigham have developed a virtual reality (VR) tool to train clinicians on core concepts in infection control, including cleaning and disinfecting portable medical equipment, to prevent the spread of infections throughout healthcare facilities.

12 Jun 2025

Healthier lifestyle choices could mitigate telomere length-associated brain disease risks

Scientists from Mass General Brigham explored the associations between telomere length-which decreases as a person ages or is exposed to unhealthy environments-and the risk for age-related brain diseases.

12 Jun 2025

Personalized model offers better blood pressure estimates from ankle measurements

A new method improving the accuracy of interpreting blood pressure measurements taken at the ankle could be crucial for people who cannot have their arm blood pressure measured.

12 Jun 2025

Healthy lifestyle habits may shield aging cells from brain disorders

Stroke and dementia as well as late-life depression are more common in people who have a biomarker of aging called short leukocyte telomere length, according to a study published on June 11, 2025, online in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

11 Jun 2025

Daily avocado consumption linked to better sleep and cardiovascular health

A new study suggests that eating one avocado a day may positively impact sleep. Science now confirms sleep is as important for good health as nutrition and exercise.

11 Jun 2025

Waist-to-height ratio found to predict liver damage better than BMI

Excess fat mass estimated by waist circumference-to-height ratio predicts the risk of liver damage better than body mass index (BMI) estimated obesity, a new study shows.

11 Jun 2025

Modified DASH diet shows blood pressure benefits for adults with diabetes

An estimated 38.1 million adults in the United States had diagnosed diabetes in 2021, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

11 Jun 2025

Chromium-rich fiber supplement keeps you fuller and reduces insulin spikes

A single dose of a chromium-enriched glucomannan-fructo-oligosaccharide fiber complex significantly reduced postprandial insulin and increased fullness in healthy adults, without affecting blood glucose. These findings highlight the potential of this functional fiber blend to support appetite control and metabolic health.

10 Jun 2025

Is that evening glass of wine really good for your heart?

A comprehensive AHA review finds overwhelming evidence that heavy alcohol use increases cardiovascular disease risk, while the benefits of low-to-moderate drinking remain unproven and uncertain. The authors recommend prioritizing proven heart-healthy habits over alcohol for cardiovascular protection.

10 Jun 2025

Using causal machine learning to identify potential ALS treatments

Potential treatments for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and other neurodegenerative diseases may already be out there in the form of drugs prescribed for other conditions.

10 Jun 2025

Teen sleep patterns play key role in long-term heart health

A new study to be presented at the SLEEP 2025 annual meeting found that teens with earlier, more efficient, and less variable sleep patterns at age 15 had better cardiovascular health at age 22.

9 Jun 2025

What happens to your body and mind during a five-day water fast?

A five-day water-only fast led to significant weight, fat, and lean muscle loss in middle-aged women, along with improved mood and marked changes in metabolic and inflammatory markers. The study also found that psychological traits like emotional intelligence and impulsivity influenced the amount of fat and muscle lost during fasting.

9 Jun 2025

Small weight loss leads to big gains in heart health

Even without weight loss, healthy lifestyle changes enhance heart health. This study highlights the importance of habits for cardiometabolic improvement.

9 Jun 2025

As cannabis users age, health risks appear to grow

Benjamin Han, a geriatrician and addiction medicine specialist at the University of California-San Diego, tells his students a cautionary tale about a 76-year-old patient who, like many older people, struggled with insomnia.

9 Jun 2025

Survey: Most Americans cannot identify what counts as high blood pressure

Hypertension or high blood pressure, which can lead to heart attack and stroke, the two top causes of death in the United States, is one of the most widespread chronic illnesses in America, afflicting nearly half of adults.

6 Jun 2025

Better brain care score linked to lower risk of heart disease and cancer

A new study from researchers at Mass General Brigham has found that a higher McCance Brain Care Score not only associates with the risk of brain-related conditions such as stroke, dementia, and depression but also strongly associates with developing cardiovascular disease and three common types of cancer.

6 Jun 2025

Statins linked to lower death rates in critically ill sepsis patients

Sepsis is when the immune system overshoots its inflammatory reaction to an infection, so strongly that the vital organs begin to shut down.

6 Jun 2025

Eating more pulses and vegetables lowers stress by boosting beneficial gut bacteria, study finds

Higher diet quality, especially with more pulses and vegetables, was linked to greater Lachnospira abundance in the gut and lower stress scores among Japanese adults. The relationship appears to be mediated by specific gut bacteria rather than a direct effect of diet on stress.

6 Jun 2025

Pennington Biomedical’s Greaux Healthy initiative launches to improve child health in Louisiana

Pennington Biomedical Research Center publicly introduced its Greaux Healthy initiative, a public service initiative designed to help improve Louisiana kids' health at every age, during the weekly Red Stick Farmer's Market on Thursday.

6 Jun 2025