Blood Pressure News and Research

RSS

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).

Mental distress increases risk of heart disease in diabetics

“Mental health professionals need to be involved in the care of diabetic persons,” says study author Tara W. Strine, M.P.H., an epidemiologist in the Division of Adult and Community Health at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The findings appear in the American Journal of Health Behavior.

30 Aug 2004

Angina drug nifedipine safe for long-term use

Calcium antagonists such as nifedipine are used to relieve the symptoms of angina, but there have been doubts about their long-term safety. However, ACTION--A Coronary disease Trial Investigating Outcome with Nifedipine GITS--provides new information on the drug's long-term use. GITS (gastrointestinal therapeutic system) modifies the release of the drug to provide stable long-term concentrations of nifedipine in blood.

30 Aug 2004

Condition causing obstruction of arteries important in high blood pressure diagnosis and treatment

An under-recognized and usually asymptomatic condition called subclavian artery stenosis – an obstruction of arteries located under the clavicle, or collarbone – is important in the diagnosis and treatment of high blood pressure

30 Aug 2004

Kiwis reverse heart disease in diabetics

New Zealand biopharmaceutical company Protemix Corporation has announced the discovery of a treatment which appears to reverse heart disease in people suffering from diabetes and may lead to a more effective intervention in a major cause of death worldwide.

30 Aug 2004

Common enzyme acts as a natural brake to prevent potentially deadly runaway inflammation

An enzyme found in nearly all animal and human cells acts as a natural brake to prevent potentially deadly runaway inflammation, UCSF scientists have discovered.

30 Aug 2004

High blood pressure combined with elevated LDL cholesterol more than triples risk of heart attack

High blood pressure and high LDL-cholesterol add up to more than just double trouble for heart health, a Penn State College of Medicine study reports.

30 Aug 2004

The proper use of drugs to treat heart disease reduces the need for hospital interventions

Regular attacks of chest pain induced by exercise (angina pectoris) is a common condition caused by blockages of the blood vessels that supply the heart (coronary heart disease).

29 Aug 2004

Vast majority of heart attacks may be predicted by nine easily measurable factors

A major Canadian-led global study has found that the vast majority of heart attacks may be predicted by nine easily measurable factors and that these factors are the same in virtually every region and ethnic group worldwide.

29 Aug 2004

U.S. FDA study shows Canadian drugs to be more expensive

If you think all drugs from Canada are cheaper than U.S. drugs, think again. In the United States, generic drugs - roughly half of all prescriptions - are often cheaper than both Canadian brand-name drugs and Canadian generic drugs, according to a study by the Food and Drug Administration.

29 Aug 2004

Tomato juice may help type 2 diabetics

Tomato juice may be the key to decreasing hyperactive platelet aggregation, which can lead to heart disease, according to the latest nutrition and dietetics study by HMRI researchers based at the University of Newcastle.

27 Aug 2004

Two new findings in the field of primary prevention for dementia and Alzheimer’s disease

The first is that both high and low blood pressure increase the chances of developing dementia. The second is that an active and socially integrated lifestyle protects against dementia.

27 Aug 2004

Ephedra substitute - Seville orange may have risks

People taking “ephedra-free” weight loss products that contain the herb Citrus aurantium, or Seville orange, may be doing more harm to their body than good, according to a new review published by Georgetown University Medical Center researchers.

27 Aug 2004

Study emphasizes the importance of monitoring blood pressure and dyslipidemia in patient's with metabolic syndrome

Having three or more traits of the metabolic syndrome significantly increases the risk of dying from coronary heart disease, cardiovascular disease or any other cause, according to a study in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.

25 Aug 2004

High blood pressure increased 30 percent over the last decade in the U.S.

The study found that at least 65 million Americans have hypertension, defined as blood pressure of 140/90 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg) or higher, using blood-pressure lowering medications, or having been told at least twice by a physician or other health professional that they had high blood pressure (medical history). By that definition, almost a third of U.S. adults have hypertension.

25 Aug 2004

High blood pressure may help people to stay calm

High blood pressure is known to reduce sensitivity to pain, but a new study shows that it may have a more general influence on emotional response by smoothing out emotional high and lows.

25 Aug 2004

Diabetes and heart disease may stem from fat you can't see

Becoming fat brings conspicuous changes to the shape of the human body, but pioneering research in the Department of Medicine at Flinders University, Australia is working on the theory that the obvious "spare tyre" may not be the major culprit in fat-related diseases.

24 Aug 2004

Striking increase in high blood pressure in the U.S.

A new analysis of the prevalence of high blood pressure in the US shows a striking increase over the last 10 years in the number of adults with this condition.

23 Aug 2004

COX2 inhibitor lumiracoxib could be an effective treatment for osteoarthritis

The use of non-selective non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) is widespread to reduce the pain associated with osteoarthritis; however the sideeffects of these drugs can be severe, sometimes leading to gastro-intestinal ulcer complications which account for around 7000 US and 1000 UK deaths each year.

21 Aug 2004

Researchers to conduct a series of studies on human circulation

Penn State College of Medicine researchers recently were awarded a five-year, $7 million grant from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health to conduct a series of studies on human circulation.

18 Aug 2004

Research will lead to better treatments for mastocytosis

Tens of millions of people know what it's like to suffer the seasonal torment of allergies, when just a whiff of pollen, mold or dust can set off a chain reaction in the body that causes sniffling, sneezing and coughing.

18 Aug 2004