High Blood Pressure News and Research

Latest High Blood Pressure News and Research

Genetic variations in Y chromosome affect men's risk of coronary heart disease: Scientists

Scientists in the UK have shown that genetic variations in the Y chromosome affect a male's risk of coronary heart disease. It is well known that males have a higher incidence of coronary heart disease than females due, in part, to the Y chromosome they inherit from their fathers. To investigate the role of the Y chromosome further, a team from the University of Leicester carried out research to determine whether genetic variations in the Y-chromosome affect risk for males.

30 Aug 2010

FDA approves Novartis' Tekamlo for treatment of high blood pressure

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Tekamlo™ (aliskiren and amlodipine) tablets, a single-pill for the treatment of high blood pressure combining the only approved direct renin inhibitor, Tekturna® (aliskiren), with the widely used calcium channel blocker amlodipine. Tekamlo is approved as initial therapy for patients who are likely to need multiple drugs to achieve their blood pressure goals, and as replacement therapy for patients whose blood pressure is not adequately controlled with either aliskiren or amlodipine alone.

27 Aug 2010

Mixed pathologies in brains of elderly account for memory loss and confusion

Most recent studies show that elderly people over the age of 80 often have mixed pathologies in their brains that account for their memory loss and confusion. Very few senior citizens have "pure Alzheimer disease"; therefore, this terminology should be used with caution. It now appears that vascular problems such as high blood pressure and diabetes can shrink the parts of the brain that control memory and can significantly affect at what age elderly people become demented.

27 Aug 2010

National Kickoff Classic partners with Close the Gap campaign to raise heart disease risk factor awareness

Boston Scientific today announced that its Close the Gap campaign is partnering with the Kirk Herbstreit National Kickoff Classic to raise awareness of heart disease risk factors for women and minorities.

26 Aug 2010

Migraine with aura increases risk of heart disease: Research

Individuals who suffer from migraines with aura (temporary visual or sensory disturbances before or during a migraine headache) are at a higher risk of dying from heart disease or stroke.

25 Aug 2010

Removing corticosteroid regimen after surgery results in better graft survival rates

University of Cincinnati (UC) analysis of 10 years of data from local kidney transplant patients shows that patients removed from a corticosteroid regimen shortly after surgery have better graft survival rates, better survival rates and fewer cardiovascular events than patients kept on the traditional regimen of long-term steroids.

24 Aug 2010

NBA player Alonzo Mourning uses celebrity fame to fight kidney disease

In October 2000, Mourning was diagnosed with focal segmental glomerular sclerosis (FSGS), a kidney disease that causes scarring in the glomeruli, the blood vessels in the kidneys that filter the blood to make urine.

21 Aug 2010

Abt Associates to evaluate program to encourage healthier eating among lower-income Americans

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service has selected Abt Associates to lead a team evaluating a ground-breaking pilot program aimed at encouraging healthier eating among lower-income Americans. The Healthy Incentives Pilot (HIP) will enroll households in Hampden County, Massachusetts that participate in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as the Food Stamp Program).

21 Aug 2010

Wellcome Trust supports research on role of 'rotten eggs' as an anti-inflammatory agent

A research project at the Peninsula Medical School in Exeter, which will study the effect of hydrogen sulfide (H2S - the 'rotten eggs' gas) as an effective anti-inflammatory agent, has won a research grant of -140,000 over three years from the Wellcome Trust.

21 Aug 2010

Dilation of blood vessels restores muscle synthesis in elderly

University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston researchers believe they've found a way to use widely available blood pressure drugs to fight the muscular weakness that normally accompanies aging.

21 Aug 2010

Renin test can predict appropriate drugs for BP patients: Study

Commonly prescribed drugs used to lower blood pressure can actually have the opposite effect-raising blood pressure in a statistically significant percentage of patients. A new study by researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University suggests that doctors could avoid this problem-and select drugs most suitable for their patients-by measuring blood levels of the enzyme renin through a blood test that is becoming more widely available. The study appears in the online edition of the American Journal of Hypertension.

20 Aug 2010

Model explains mechanical cause of high blood pressure

In a paper published today by Brahm Brahm, a model was introduced explaining the cause of high blood pressure. This model describes how both your heart and arteries contract to pump blood, creating pressure in the process. For the first time, this contraction cycle of the muscles in artery walls has been mathematically described.

20 Aug 2010

Binge drinking increases cardiovascular disease risk: Research

If you have high blood pressure, binge drinking may dramatically raise your risk of stroke or heart-related death, according to a South Korean study reported in Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association.

20 Aug 2010

Policy restrictions for certain medications lead to decreased drug use and substantial savings for insurers

Policies that restrict reimbursement for certain medications can save money for health insurers without driving patients to seek other kinds of health care, a new review of studies suggests.

19 Aug 2010

Study on differential aspects of cardiac insufficiency due to high blood pressure amongst women and men

Doctor Elena Zubillaga studied 109 women and 120 men admitted to hospital with a cardiac insufficiency solely due to high blood pressure. More concretely, she analysed the clinical, biochemical and ecocardiographical differences between the patients, depending on their sex. She also made reference to the data provided by serum markers for the metabolism of the collagen in the heart and the systolic function or contraction of the latter, as alterations taking place in the metabolism of myocardial collagen are associated with certain clinical situations.

18 Aug 2010

Moderate chocolate consumption lowers heart failure risk: Study

Middle-aged and elderly Swedish women who regularly ate a small amount of chocolate had lower risks of heart failure risks, in a study reported in Circulation: Heart Failure, a journal of the American Heart Association.

18 Aug 2010

Thickening of neck artery wall increases risk of heart attack, stroke: Study

Researchers for the U.S. National Institute on Aging (NIA), a component of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), studied 5,614 Italians in four villages and found that those who scored high for antagonistic traits on a standard personality test had greater thickening of the neck (carotid) arteries compared to people who were more agreeable. Thickness of neck artery walls is a risk factor for heart attack and stroke.

17 Aug 2010

Ill effects of methamphetamine

On the street it's known as meth, speed, ice, chalk, crank, fire, glass or crystal. Methamphetamine is a highly addictive drug that wreaks havoc on the entire body, including the user's oral health. Approximately 10 million Americans have tried methamphetamine, while more than 1.4 million are habitual users.

17 Aug 2010

Medforma unveils new Internet-based wellness platform

Nearly 80 percent of health care costs are spent on treating preventable diseases. And most of this burden falls on employers and employees. To help employers reduce these expenses while improving the health of their workforces, St. Paul-based Medforma Inc., today unveiled the next-generation of its Internet-based wellness platform called Health Portrait™.

16 Aug 2010

Study shows early diagnosis of atrial fibrillation reduces risk of stroke

The earlier that patients who suffer from atrial fibrillation obtain the correct treatment, the lower is the risk of serious secondary effects such as stroke. A thesis presented at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, shows that a well-established measurement score can easily assess the risks for this patient group.

16 Aug 2010