Changing how blood pressure is measured will save lives

London: Traditional methods of testing for high-blood pressure are no longer adequate and risk missing vital health signs, which can lead to premature death, a study co-led by UCL has found. The research, the largest ever cohort study of its kind, published in the New England Journal for Medicine, assessed 63,000 doctors’ patients, who had their blood pressure tested using traditional ‘in clinic’ methods, such as an automated or hand operated devices. Separately, the same patients, were also measured using a pocket-sized ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) device, which records blood pressure regularly across a 24 hour period. This device is worn at home and takes measurements every 20 to 30 mins.  

Another reason to exercise every day during the holidays

TheConversation: Yes, of course we all know we should exercise every day during the holiday season to help counter the onslaught of excess calories that started on Thanksgiving and will mercifully end with a New Year’s toast. We may even tire of hearing about exercise and weight from family, friends and the media. But an equally important reason to exercise every day is related to blood pressure, not waistline. As a physiologist who has studied exercise and health for over 20 years, I can tell you that exercise lowers blood pressure – and does so right away. Whether you go for a daily run or brisk walk, every time you finish exercising your blood pressure goes down, and stays down for many hours, which is good for your overall health. Here’s why.

Global high blood pressure rates double in 40 years

Scimex: In the past 40 years, there has been a large increase in the number of people living with high blood pressure worldwide because of population growth and ageing—rising from 594 million in 1975 to over 1.1 billion in 2015. The largest rise in the prevalence of adults with high blood pressure has been in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) in south Asia (eg, Bangladesh and Nepal) and sub-Saharan Africa (eg, Ethiopia and Malawi). But high-income countries (eg, Australia, Canada, Germany, Sweden, and Japan) have made impressive reductions in the prevalence of adults with high blood pressure, according to the most comprehensive analysis of worldwide trends in blood pressure to date, published in The Lancet.

Immune cells can regulate blood pressure

Karolinska Institute: Researchers at Karolinska Institutet and the Feinstein Institute for Medical Research have discovered that the human immune system has a hitherto unknown role – blood pressure regulation. Collaborating with colleagues from Canada, they have found that a special kind of immune cell called acetylcholine-producing lymphocytes can regulate blood pressure in laboratory mice. The study, which is published in Nature Biotechnology , could open the way for new forms of treatment for hypertension.

‘High-Normal’ Blood Pressure in Young Adults Spells Risk of Heart Failure in Later Life

Johns Hopkins: Mild elevations in blood pressure considered to be in the upper range of normal during young adulthood can lead to subclinical heart damage by middle age — a condition that sets the stage for full-blown heart failure, according to findings of a federally funded study led by scientists at Johns Hopkins.  A report on the findings of the multicenter study that followed 2,500 men and women over a period of 25 years is published online June 22 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

Best treatment for blood pressure in diabetic kidney disease

Scimex: An international study, including New Zealand and Australian scientists, has compiled the first definitive summary of the best and safest treatments for kidney disease and diabetes patients, finding blood pressure lowering drugs do not improve life expectancy among adults with the conditions. The paper compares all drug options, including combinations of commonly used drugs, and acts as an evidence-based guide on which drugs are safe and effective.

Potassium Improved Blood Pressure in Teen Girls, Salt Had No Adverse Effect

JAMA: Eating 3,000 mg per day of salt or more appears to have no adverse effect on blood pressure in adolescent girls, while those girls who consumed 2,400 mg per day or more of potassium had lower blood pressure at the end of adolescence, according to an article published online by JAMA Pediatrics. The scientific community has historically believed most people in the United States consume too much salt in their diets. The current Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends limiting sodium intake to less than 2,300 mg per day for healthy individuals between the ages of 2 and 50. The relationship between dietary sodium and blood pressure in children and adolescents is largely unexamined in prospective studies, according to the study background.

No proof that bad relationships raise blood pressure

NHS: "If you have ever blamed your partner for making your blood boil, a new study could be the evidence you need to prove it's true," Mail Online reports. But the association between stress and blood pressure is much less clear-cut than the Mail suggests.

Vitamin D Supplementation Not Associated with Lower Blood Pressure

JAMA: A review of clinical trial data suggests vitamin D supplementation was ineffective at lowering blood pressure (BP) and should not be used as an antihypertensive, according to an article published online by JAMA Internal Medicine.

Managing mum's blood pressure doesn't harm her unborn child

Adelaide University. Australia: Health researchers have been surprised by the results of a major international study which shows that tightly controlling blood pressure in pregnant women has no harmful effects for their babies. The international study shows that, contrary to expectations, keeping blood pressure in the normal range with medication does not affect a baby's growth and development in the womb, and there are no differences in outcomes for these babies at birth.

Blood pressure control for diabetic retinopathy

Cochrane: We reviewed the evidence about the effect of blood pressure control to prevent diabetic retinopathy and/or to slow progression of diabetic retinopathy.

Falls in blood pressure and cholesterol have saved 20,000+ lives in England

BMJ. UK: Falls in blood pressure and total cholesterol staved off more than 20,000 deaths from coronary heart disease in England between 2000 and 2007, shows a mathematical analysis published in the online journal BMJ Open. The impact of statins was greatest among the most affluent in the population, suggesting that these drugs have helped maintain health inequalities between rich and poor, say the researchers.

Walking groups come out trumps for boosting overall health without side effects

British Medical Journal. UK: Joining a walking group is one of the best and easiest ways to boost overall health, with virtually no side effects, suggests an analysis of the available evidence, published online in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. Benefits include reductions in blood pressure, body fat, total cholesterol and depression risk.

Healthy heart, healthy brain

Cardiovascular health (CVH) plays a critical role in brain health. Several cardiovascular risk factors, including hypertension, diabetes, and obesity, are related to higher risk for cognitive decline (impairment of memory, decisions, judging the time, completing a complex task, visual perception...).
Prevention strategies targeting modifiable factors and behaviors are important for reducing risks for cognitive decline and dementia.
Life's Simple 7 is a new metric based on modifiable health behaviors and factors that the American Heart Association uses to promote improvements to cardiovascular health (CVH): nonsmoking, healthy diet, physical activity, and body mass index (BMI), blood pressure (BP), total cholesterol, and fasting glucose.
 Compared with low cardiovascular health, intermediate and high levels of cardiovascular health are both associated with substantially lower incidence of cognitive impairment.
Source: American Heart Association