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).

Older people fail to recognise the signs of cardiac arrest

An Australian study has found a disturbing number of older people fail to recognise the signs of cardiac arrest and do not know what to do in the event of such an emergency.

15 Jul 2004

Updated guidelines for treatment of blood cholesterol

The National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) has updated its guidelines for treatment of blood cholesterol, suggesting that people at risk for heart attack and stroke would benefit from more intensive cholesterol-lowering therapies.

13 Jul 2004

Findings alleviate concerns of physicians reluctant to prescribe beta-blockers because of cardiovascular adverse effects

Beta-blocker therapy in patients with heart failure is well tolerated and associated with fewer overall withdrawals and less heart failure deterioration than placebo, according to a new article in the Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

13 Jul 2004

New guidelines for pulmonary arterial hypertension caution the use of calcium channel blockers

A new evidence-based guideline for pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) cautions the use of calcium channel blockers, a commonly used treatment for high blood pressure, in unstable patients due to the potentially fatal side effects associated with the medication.

13 Jul 2004

Natural hormone called melatonin may guide our sleep patterns

Our general sleep patterns – being sleepy at night and awake during the day – are guided to a great extent by our exposure to light and darkness.

10 Jul 2004

First successful gene therapy that mimics the action of calcium channel blockers

Their findings - published in the latest edition of Circulation Research, online July 8 - may lead to a gene therapy alternative to calcium channel blockers and their sometimes severe side effects, but also further interest in the development of gene therapies unique - as in this case - to one particular organ.

10 Jul 2004

Health Canada warning on Trazodone interaction with certain medications

Health Canada, in association with Bristol-Myers Squibb Canada, is advising Canadians to consult with their health care professionals if they are currently being treated with the antidepressant trazodone in combination with any of the following medications: ketoconazole (an antifungal agent), ritonavir and indinavir (protease inhibitors used in the treatment of HIV), or carbamazepine (an anti-epileptic therapy).

9 Jul 2004

Heavy drinking during teenage years begins taking a serious health toll by the time people are 24 years old

A University of Washington study has found that people who began binge drinking at age 13 and continued throughout adolescence were nearly four times as likely to be overweight or obese and almost 3½ times as likely to have high blood pressure when they were 24 years old

9 Jul 2004

Surveys of pizzas, baked beans and canned pasta show salt levels can vary significantly

Surveys of pizzas, baked beans and canned pasta, published today by the Food Standards Agency (FSA), show that within these ranges of family staples salt levels can vary significantly.

9 Jul 2004

Renowned Chinese surgeon who revealed the SARS cover-up last year is reported to be undergoing brainwashing

Jiang Yanyong a renowned Chinese surgeon who revealed the enormity of the Chinese SARS cover-up last year is reported to be undergoing brainwashing enforced upon him by Chinese Government officials.

6 Jul 2004

British people should get out in the sun and not cover up for health reasons

British health is being put at risk by government policy that discourages sunbathing and promotes use of sunblock products. The cost of disease caused by insufficient exposure to sunlight and consequent deficiency of vitamin D is estimated to be billions of pounds per year in Britain.

5 Jul 2004

Drop in systolic blood pressure may indicate imminent likelihood of Alzheimer’s disease or dementia

Journal of the American Heart Association reports that a significant drop in systolic blood pressure may indicate imminent likelihood of Alzheimer’s disease or dementia in some elderly people.

2 Jul 2004

Protein research may help develop new antibiotics

New findings about a protein that keeps cells alive by opening and closing pores within a cell's membrane may open the door to the development of new antibiotics.

30 Jun 2004

Exercise found to be equally effective as diuretics in preventing high blood pressure and an enlarged heart

Only recently was a type of diuretic known as thiazides been found to be superior to angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and calcium antagonists (calcium channel blockers) in preventing one or more major types of cardiovascular disease.

30 Jun 2004

Chemotherapy agents as well as the newest biologic and targeted cancer therapy drugs, can harm a patient’s heart

Cancer treatments, including the most commonly used chemotherapy agents as well as the newest biologic and targeted therapy drugs, can harm a patient’s heart, sometimes fatally

29 Jun 2004

Nearly 50 million U.S. adults have hypertension, more than two-thirds of them also have high cholesterol

People who have high blood pressure are highly likely to also have untreated or insufficiently treated cholesterol problems that significantly increase their risk for heart attack and stroke

29 Jun 2004

Vascular dementia, a common form of dementia often mistaken for Alzheimer’s disease

Alzheimer’s isn’t always the cause of a progressive loss of memory and other mental skills.

29 Jun 2004

Depression in young women doubles risk of metabolic syndrome

Metabolic syndrome is a combination of medical disorders that affect a large number of people in a clustered fashion. In some studies, the prevalence in the USA is calculated as being up to 25% of the population.

29 Jun 2004

Australian Government push to combat the obesity epidemic

A new grants package for school communities is part of a $116 million Australian Government push to combat the obesity epidemic.

29 Jun 2004

California Attorney General says emissions plan fails to adequately protect air, public health

"Exposure to mercury can cause severe health damage, particularly to pregnant women and young children," said Lockyer. "If implemented, these rules will protect the profits of polluters at the expense of the environment, people and public health."

29 Jun 2004

Blood Pressure News and Research

Further Reading

Older people fail to recognise the signs of cardiac arrest

Updated guidelines for treatment of blood cholesterol

Findings alleviate concerns of physicians reluctant to prescribe beta-blockers because of cardiovascular adverse effects

New guidelines for pulmonary arterial hypertension caution the use of calcium channel blockers

Natural hormone called melatonin may guide our sleep patterns

First successful gene therapy that mimics the action of calcium channel blockers

Health Canada warning on Trazodone interaction with certain medications

Heavy drinking during teenage years begins taking a serious health toll by the time people are 24 years old

Surveys of pizzas, baked beans and canned pasta show salt levels can vary significantly

Renowned Chinese surgeon who revealed the SARS cover-up last year is reported to be undergoing brainwashing

British people should get out in the sun and not cover up for health reasons

Drop in systolic blood pressure may indicate imminent likelihood of Alzheimer’s disease or dementia

Protein research may help develop new antibiotics

Exercise found to be equally effective as diuretics in preventing high blood pressure and an enlarged heart

Chemotherapy agents as well as the newest biologic and targeted cancer therapy drugs, can harm a patient’s heart

Nearly 50 million U.S. adults have hypertension, more than two-thirds of them also have high cholesterol

Vascular dementia, a common form of dementia often mistaken for Alzheimer’s disease

Depression in young women doubles risk of metabolic syndrome

Australian Government push to combat the obesity epidemic

California Attorney General says emissions plan fails to adequately protect air, public health

Achieving and maintaining ISO/IEC 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

Examining how pain could play a direct protective role in the gut

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