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).

COVID-19 and food insecurity in the U.S.

A new paper published on the preprint server medRxiv* in May 2020 reports that the measures taken to block the spread of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) such as social distancing and lockdown are associated with widespread effects on food security in the US state of Vermont.

14 May 2020

More cancer patients could benefit from CAR T-cell therapy, Moffitt study suggests

Chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy, or CAR T, has become a game changer for lymphoma and leukemia patients who have relapsed or become resistant to previous treatments.

14 May 2020

Anti-inflammatory drug may improve respiratory function in some severe COVID-19 cases

A small study in Greece found that the clinically approved anti-inflammatory drug anakinra, used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, improved respiratory function in patients with severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

14 May 2020

Low albumin levels could predict poor outcome in COVID-19

A Spanish study has revealed that COVID-19 patients who have a low level of albumin have a poorer outcome compared to those with normal levels of blood albumin. The study titled, “Low albumin levels are associated with poorer outcomes in a case series of COVID-19 patients in Spain: a retrospective cohort study,” was released prior to peer-review on the open-access preprint server site Medrxiv*.

13 May 2020

Does HIV infection increase the severity of COVID-19?

A new study by researchers at the New York University Grossman School of Medicine and published on the preprint server medRxiv* in May 2020 reports that being infected with HIV at the time of acquiring COVID-19 does not significantly increase the severity of illness or the risk of complications.

13 May 2020

New weight loss amphetamine could potentially avoid harmful side effects

Despite being officially declared a chronic disease there are very few long-lasting and cost-effective treatments for obesity. Amphetamines are one of the few and they reportedly act in the brain to reduce appetite and increase locomotion or stamina.

13 May 2020

Experts review symptoms, diagnosis, and current treatment of COVID-19

The ongoing economic and social impact of the pandemic is staggering, but despite a daily flood of news on the disease, few laypeople know that paradoxically, COVID-19 mostly kills through an overreaction of the immune system, whose function is precisely to fight infections.

13 May 2020

Researchers launch clinical trial to test the efficacy of antidepressant against COVID-19

An antidepressant medication is being tested as a potential treatment for COVID-19 after University of Virginia School of Medicine researchers determined it may prevent dangerous overreactions by the immune system.

13 May 2020

A 'multi-omics' approach to the development of drugs against COVID-19

A new study published on the preprint server medRxiv* in May 2020 reports a multi-omics approach that could make it easier to develop drugs that are effective against COVID-19.

12 May 2020

Does cholesterol play a role in COVID-19?

A new study published on the preprint server bioRxiv in May 2020 suggests that the strikingly increased mortality in COVID-19 patients who are either old or also have high blood pressure, diabetes, cardiovascular disease is due to high tissue cholesterol levels. It also indicates the role of a healthy diet, by showing that polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) in blood oppose the effects of cholesterol and thus the risk for severe COVID-19 symptoms.

12 May 2020

Symptomatic COVID-19 patients less likely to be smokers

As the COVID-19 pandemic rages in many parts of the world, a new study shows that smoking may not play a significant role in increasing the severity of illness in these patients. The study is published on the preprint server medRxiv* in May 2020.

12 May 2020

Smart health system to monitor people in COVID-19 quarantine

The global coronavirus pandemic has spread to 187 countries and territories, infecting more than 4.17 million people. Most countries, especially those with a skyrocketing caseload, grapple with a lack of hospital beds and facilities to cater to every patient infected with the virus. Now, a team of researchers may have the solution to this problem – a smart health system to monitor patients who are in home isolation.

12 May 2020

Urbanization in India may be associated with increase in cardiometabolic risk factors

Although the health benefits of green space are supported by a growing body of evidence, few studies on this topic have been carried out in low- and middle-income countries.

11 May 2020

One-size-fits-all approach does not work for treating pregnant women with hypertension

Treatment guidelines for hypertension in pregnancy suggest that more women should be on medication to control their blood pressure.

11 May 2020

New guidelines will help countries across the world to manage hypertension

A new global set of guidelines released today (International Society of Hypertension 2020 Global Hypertension Practice Guidelines) will help countries across the world manage hypertension, which is particularly critical in the current COVID-19 environment.

11 May 2020

Innovative device could help treat babies with blood disorders

With severe blood disorders, such as leukemia, doctors often rely on leukapheresis, a procedure in which large machines extract whole blood from patients to separate white blood cells from the rest of the blood, which is then returned back to the patient.

8 May 2020

Study: Skin-to-skin contact shows significant benefits for pre-term babies

A world-first study led by Monash University has demonstrated significant benefits to a premature baby's heart and brain function when held by the parent in skin-to-skin contact.

7 May 2020

Study proposes novel training technique to reinforce significance of proper PPE use

Despite the use of personal protective equipment, reports show that many health care workers contracted the coronavirus disease, which raises substantial concerns about the effectiveness of the PPE.

6 May 2020

Obesity, type 2 diabetes, or high blood pressure in teenagers may lead to prematurely aged arteries

Teenagers who have obesity, type 2 diabetes or high blood pressure may be more likely to have signs of premature blood vessel aging compared to teens without those health conditions, according to new research published today in the Journal of the American Heart Association, an open access journal of the American Heart Association.

6 May 2020

ISH releases 2020 Global Hypertension Practice Guidelines

High blood pressure (hypertension) is the leading cause of death in the world affecting more than 1.4 billion people and accounting for more than 28,000 deaths each day.

6 May 2020