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).

FDA approves additional indication for Eisai's anticancer agent Lenvima in combo with Everolimus for advanced renal cell carcinoma

Eisai Co., Ltd. has announced that its U.S. subsidiary Eisai Inc. has received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for an additional indication for Eisai's in-house developed novel anticancer agent Lenvima (lenvatinib mesylate) in combination with everolimus for the treatment of patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma following one prior anti-angiogenic therapy.

16 May 2016

Computerized decision support tool can assist physicians in prescribing stroke prevention therapy

Physician-researchers in the College of Medicine at the University of Cincinnati have developed a computerized decision support tool that uses a combination of patient information and characteristics to assist physicians and patients with decisions about blood thinning treatment to prevent strokes in individuals with atrial fibrillation.

12 May 2016

New NICE guidance recommends use of Roche Diagnostics’ new pre-eclampsia test

Obstetricians and midwives are today welcoming the publication of new NICE guidance recommending the use of a new test from Roche Diagnostics that can rule-out the development of the life threatening condition, pre-eclampsia, within one week in pregnant women.

11 May 2016

Elevated endothelial progenitor cells may characterise PAH patients

Plasma levels of endothelial progenitor cells are elevated in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension, say researchers.

7 May 2016

Pulmonary hypertension impacts walking ability in SSc patients

The results of a meta-analysis show the adverse impact pulmonary hypertension has on the walking stamina of patients with systemic sclerosis.

6 May 2016

More evidence for combination therapy benefits in PAH

Another meta-analysis adds to evidence of increased benefits for patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension who are given combination therapy.

6 May 2016

Drinking tart Montmorency cherry juice can reduce early signs of hypertension

Drinking tart Montmorency cherry juice significantly reduces high blood pressure at a level comparable to that achieved by medication, according to new research from Northumbria University, Newcastle.

6 May 2016

Long-term Warfarin use may increase dementia rates in AF patients

A new study of more than 10,000 patients treated long term with the blood thinner, Warfarin, reveals higher rates of dementia for patients with atrial fibrillation versus non-AF patients

5 May 2016

Older adults become more sensitive to pain, study shows

When older relatives complain about their pains, show a little empathy, because new research suggests that as we age, we may all become more sensitive to pain. A small, preliminary University of Florida Health study has suggested for the first time that inflammation may occur more quickly and at a higher magnitude -- and stays around longer -- when older adults experience pain versus when younger adults experience pain.

5 May 2016

Detailed digital models of human organs could bring substantial benefits to clinical trials

Computer simulations of disease processes and detailed digital models of our organs could provide more accurate monitoring and outcome measurements for clinical trials, according to research being presented in Sheffield today.

5 May 2016

Bayer-new phase 3 liver cancer data

Bayer has announced that a Phase III trial evaluating its oncology compound Stivarga® (regorafenib) tablets for the treatment of patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has met its primary endpoint of a statistically significant improvement in overall survival. The study, called RESORCE, evaluated the efficacy and safety of regorafenib in patients with HCC whose disease has progressed after treatment with sorafenib. The safety and tolerability were generally consistent with the known profile of regorafenib. Detailed efficacy and safety analyses from this study are expected to be presented at an upcoming scientific congress.

4 May 2016

Novel gene therapy can treat pulmonary hypertension linked with heart failure

Scientists have used a novel gene therapy to halt the progression of pulmonary hypertension, a form of high blood pressure in the lung blood vessels that is linked to heart failure, according to a study led by Roger J. Hajjar, MD, Professor of Medicine and Director of the Cardiovascular Research Center at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.

30 Apr 2016

Working in night shifts may increase risk of coronary heart disease

Working at night is unhealthy for the heart and increases the risk of sustaining coronary heart disease, meaning a disease of the coronary arteries. This is the result of a current, and one of the largest American cooperation studies under the management of Eva Schernhammer of the epidemiology division of MedUni Wien, which was published in the top journal JAMA today. First author is Celine Vetter of Harvard University in Boston.

27 Apr 2016

Endocrine Society urges physicians to increase screening for primary aldosteronism

The Endocrine Society today issued a Clinical Practice Guideline calling on physicians to ramp up screening for primary aldosteronism, a common cause of high blood pressure.

27 Apr 2016

Hydrocortisone drug can also prevent lung damage in premature babies

Research from Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago conducted in mice shows the drug hydrocortisone -- a steroid commonly used to treat a variety of inflammatory and allergic conditions -- can also prevent lung damage that often develops in premature babies treated with oxygen.

26 Apr 2016

Meta-analysis supports combination therapy for PAH patients

A meta-analysis shows that clinical worsening is significantly less likely in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension if they are given combination treatment, rather than monotherapy.

25 Apr 2016

Higher levels of neighborhood greenness linked to lower chronic disease risk

A new study of a quarter-million Miami-Dade County Medicare beneficiaries showed that higher levels of neighborhood greenness, including trees, grass and other vegetation, were linked to a significant reduction in the rate of chronic illnesses, particularly in low-to-middle income neighborhoods.

22 Apr 2016

Study finds low prevalence of vascular risk among Southwest US population

In a newly published, pilot study in the journal Ethnicity & Disease, researchers report a relatively low prevalence of vascular risk among participants of the Southwest Heart Mind Study, especially among those treated for hypertension and hyperlipidemia despite overweight and obesity.

22 Apr 2016

More cautious blood pressure-lowering strategy may be reasonable for elderly CKD patients

New research indicates that higher systolic blood pressure is linked with poor outcomes in patients with kidney disease, although the association diminishes with advanced age. The findings, which come from a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (CJASN), provide valuable information concerning patients who are often excluded from blood pressure-lowering clinical trials.

22 Apr 2016

Researchers reposition existing prazosin drug to combat glioblastoma

Treatments available for glioblastoma—malignant brain tumors—have little effect. An international collaboration led by the Laboratoire Neurosciences Paris-Seine tested active ingredients from existing medications and eventually identified one compound of interest, prazosin, on these tumors. Not only did it seem to be effective in this type of cancer, but it also acted on a signaling pathway that is common with other cancers.

21 Apr 2016