Hypertension (High Blood Pressure) News and Research

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Hypertension (or high blood pressure) is a condition where the pressure of the blood flowing through the arteries of the body is higher than it should be. Much like the pressure of the air in a tire, if the pressure of the blood is too high it can damage the arteries and organs of the body. Just like the tire, if the pressure suddenly becomes very high, catastrophic events can happen. Similarly, if the pressure remains somewhat elevated for a long enough period of time, premature wear and failure can occur.

Hypertension has its worst effects on the heart, kidneys, eyes, and brain. High blood pressure is a risk factor for heart attack, stroke, kidney failure, hemorrhages of the retina of the eye, and generalized atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries all over the body).

Normoglycaemia key to improved neurological outcome after paediatric stroke

Achieving normal blood glucose concentrations may be important in preventing poor neurological outcomes in children following acute arterial ischemic stroke, a retrospective review indicates.

27 May 2016

Majority of young adults with abdominal obesity unaware of CKD risk

Many young adults with abdominal obesity exhibit a readily detectable risk factor for chronic kidney disease (CKD), yet the vast majority don't know they're at risk, according to a study of nationwide health data led by Albert Einstein College of Medicine researchers that was published online today in the journal PLOS ONE.

26 May 2016

Urinary sodium excretion study attracts controversy

A pooled analysis in The Lancet showing a U-shaped association between urinary sodium excretion and cardiovascular disease has drawn criticism.

25 May 2016

Study explores incidence of heart failure following myocardial infarction

One in four patients develop heart failure within four years of a first heart attack, according to a study in nearly 25 000 patients presented today at Heart Failure 2016 and the 3rd World Congress on Acute Heart Failure by Dr Johannes Gho, a cardiology resident at the University Medical Center Utrecht, in Utrecht, the Netherlands.

24 May 2016

Aliskiren fails to show benefit for heart failure patients with diabetes

A subgroup analysis in heart failure patients with diabetes from the ATMOSPHERE trial has failed to show benefit and signals the end of the road for aliskiren in heart failure.

24 May 2016

Tips for improving cardiovascular health

New research by UT Southwestern heart specialists shows that sedentary behavior such as sitting for long periods of time at a desk or on the couch is associated with increased amounts of calcium in the arteries, which in turn can lead to higher risk of heart attack.

23 May 2016

Aggressive blood pressure intervention can benefit frail adults aged 75 and older

NIH-supported researchers are reporting additional details about a widely-publicized study that linked a systolic blood pressure target under 120 mm Hg (millimeters of mercury) with reduced cardiovascular disease and a lower risk of death.

23 May 2016

Low-salt diets may increase CVD risk and death compared to average salt consumption

A large worldwide study has found that, contrary to popular thought, low-salt diets may not be beneficial and may actually increase the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and death compared to average salt consumption.

23 May 2016

Intensive blood pressure lowering therapies can cut heart disease risk in older adults

Intensive therapies to reduce high blood pressure can cut the risk of heart disease in older adults without increasing the risk for falls, according to doctors at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center.

21 May 2016

SPRINT supports stringent BP goals for elderly

Analysis of SPRINT participants older than 75 years shows that they too benefitted from an intensive blood pressure target of 120 mmHg.

20 May 2016

Older, frail hypertensive adults could benefit from intensive lowering of blood pressure

Adults with hypertension who are age 75 years and older, including those who are frail and with poor overall health, could benefit from lowering their blood pressure below current medical guidelines.

20 May 2016

Combined public health intervention could help manage CKD in developing countries

A simple and inexpensive public health intervention helped prevent many cases of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in Pakistan. The intervention, which is described in a study in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology, will be especially helpful for protecting the kidney health of people living in developing countries.

20 May 2016

Researchers identify new culprit that may contribute to heart disease

Medical professionals have long known that the buildup of plaque in arteries can cause them to narrow and harden, potentially leading to a whole host of health problems — including heart attack, heart disease and stroke.

19 May 2016

New lab blood test may help identify HELLP syndrome in pregnant women

A laboratory blood test developed at Johns Hopkins for the diagnosis of a rare genetic red blood cell disorder also shows promise in identifying HELLP syndrome, a life-threatening high blood pressure condition affecting 1 percent of all pregnant women that causes hypertension along with end organ damage, researchers report in the May issue of the journal Experimental Hematology.

19 May 2016

World Hypertension Day: AMA joins hands with AHA to increase public awareness of hypertension

With the number of deaths caused by high blood pressure on the rise in the United States, the American Medical Association is joining the American Heart Association to increase public awareness of this “silent killer.”

18 May 2016

Melatonin can be of great value for elderly people suffering from hypertension

The older we get, the more likely our circadian rhythms are disrupted. For example, blood pressure (BP), not only tends to increase but as well become more irregular. Luckily, as we show in our research, melatonin helps to ameliorate both trends.

18 May 2016

Consuming sesame-based ingredients may reduce oxidative stress

The antioxidant boosting properties of sesame, and especially sesame oil, can have a significant effect on oxidative stress, improving human health, according to a systematic review published in Journal of Medicinal Food, a peer-reviewed journal from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers.

18 May 2016

OSA patients may have 1.57 times more MACCE risk afer unplanned revascularization

In an ongoing prospective study involving 1,311 patients from five nations, researchers found that untreated obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) was associated with increased risk of a Major Adverse Cardiac and Cerebrovascular Event (MACCE) -- cardiovascular death, non-fatal myocardial infarction (heart attack), non-fatal stroke, and unplanned revascularization such as heart bypass surgery and angioplasty.

17 May 2016

CMR 'may be preferable' to SPECT for CHD prognosis

Long-term follow-up of the CE-MARC study suggests that cardiovascular magnetic resonance could be a better predictor of cardiovascular events than single-photon emission computed tomography in patients with coronary heart disease.

17 May 2016

High or rapidly rising BP poses greatest stroke, mortality risk

Findings from the Rotterdam study show how the trajectories of people's blood pressure in mid to late life have varying effects on their risk of having a stroke or dying.

17 May 2016