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).

Newly expanded role for pharmacists helps manage health of patients

The newly expanded role that pharmacists in Canada now have in helping manage the health of patients can benefit both patients and physicians, according to an article in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).

20 Aug 2013

Study shows superantigens produced by staph bacteria cause infective endocarditis and sepsis

University of Iowa researchers have discovered what causes the lethal effects of staphylococcal infective endocarditis - a serious bacterial infection of heart valves that kills approximately 20,000 Americans each year.

20 Aug 2013

Physical-activity adviser motivates old Latino adults to participate in exercise program

When it comes to getting motivated to exercise and do things that are good for our health, sometimes all it takes is a little help from our friends.

20 Aug 2013

Inflating blood pressure cuff ahead of heart bypass surgery reduces heart injury

Inflating a blood pressure cuff on the upper arm just ahead of heart bypass surgery reduces heart injury and might even improve bypass patients’ long-term survival, according to an Article published in The Lancet.

16 Aug 2013

Household debt may impact on mental and physical health of young Americans

If young people are drowning in debt, their blood pressure may be on the rise and their health could suffer. A new Northwestern Medicine- study has found that high financial debt is associated with higher diastolic blood pressure and poorer self-reported general and mental health in young adults.

16 Aug 2013

Researchers find recurrent genetic mutation linked to deadly thoracic aortic dissections

A multi-institutional team led by Dianna Milewicz, M.D., Ph.D., of The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) has found a recurrent genetic mutation that has been linked to deadly thoracic aortic dissections in family members as young as 17 years of age.

16 Aug 2013

Study: Children born to obese mothers are more likely to die early as adults

Children born to obese mothers are more likely to die early as adults than those whose mothers were a normal weight, a study has found.

16 Aug 2013

Heightened race consciousness linked to higher blood pressure in black Americans

Black patients preoccupied with racial concerns have higher blood pressure than those who aren’t, according to results of new Johns Hopkins-led research. The findings suggest that heightened race consciousness could at least in part account for the disproportionately high rate of hypertension in black Americans — the highest prevalence of any group in the United States and one of the highest rates in the world.

14 Aug 2013

Regular exercise can give significant mental boost for HIV infected adults

Regular exercise is not only good for health, but can give people living with HIV a significant mental boost. This is according to a study by Dr. David J. Moore and colleagues at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), published in Springer's Journal of NeuroVirology.

14 Aug 2013

Nine risk factors for YOD in late adolescence

A study of Swedish men suggests nine risk factors, most of which can be traced to adolescence, account for most cases of young-onset dementia (YOD) diagnosed before the age of 65 years, according to a report published by JAMA Internal Medicine, a JAMA Network publication.

13 Aug 2013

Vitamin D supplementation does not improve blood pressure in hypertension patients

Vitamin D supplementation does not appear to improve blood pressure or markers of vascular health in older patients with isolated systolic hypertension (a common type of high blood pressure), according to a study by Miles D. Witham, Ph.D., of the University of Dundee, Scotland, United Kingdom, and colleagues.

13 Aug 2013

School lunch consumption and TV viewing associated with childhood obesity

Among middle-school children, the behaviors most often linked with obesity are school lunch consumption and two hours or more of daily TV viewing, according to a new look at the dramatic increase in childhood obesity.

13 Aug 2013

Children who exhibit lower conscientiousness may have adult obesity

Results from a longitudinal study show that children who exhibit lower conscientiousness (e.g., irresponsible, careless, not persevering) could experience worse overall health, including greater obesity, as adults.

12 Aug 2013

Pregnant rats fed with high-fat diet experience preeclampsia-like syndromes

Preeclampsia is a relatively common pregnancy disorder, characterized by primary hypertension and proteinuria. In patients with severe preeclampsia, eclampsia can develop, causing nervous system symptoms and signs.

9 Aug 2013

Start-up company specializes in reducing hospital readmission rates

Facing rising penalties under the health-care law for high readmission rates, some hospitals are turning to tech entrepreneurs like Chris Corio of San Francisco for help. Mr. Corio's four-year-old startup sells technology that assists patients in completing the recovery process after getting discharged.

9 Aug 2013

Chronic exposure biomass fuel smoke can cause cardiovascular problems

Rural households in developing countries often rely on burning biomass, such as wood, animal dung and waste from agricultural crops, to cook and heat their homes. The practice is long known to cause lung disease, but a new study from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine links the resulting smoke to cardiovascular problems, including an increase in artery-clogging plaques, artery thickness and higher blood pressure.

8 Aug 2013