Hypertension

Latest evidence of the effects of the mediterranean diet in prevention of cardiovascular disease

MDLinx.com Current Atherosclerosis Reports, 08/19/2014 Evidence Based Medicine  Review Article Clinical Article Story Source Chiva–Blanch G, et al. – Recent systematic reviews of observational studies ranked Mediterranean diet as the most likely dietary model to provide cardiovascular protection. These recent results allow us to recommend Mediterranean diet to subjects at high risk for cardiovascular disease […]

Potential for primary prevention of Alzheimer’s disease

An analysis of population-based data Sam Norton PhD The Lancet Neurology, Volume 13, Issue 8, Pages 788 – 794, August 2014 Summary Background Recent estimates suggesting that over half of Alzheimer’s disease burden worldwide might be attributed to potentially modifiable risk factors do not take into account risk-factor non-independence. We aimed to provide specific estimates […]

Probiotics Benefit Blood Pressure in Meta-Analysis

Heartwire Probiotics Benefit Blood Pressure in Meta-Analysis Michael O’Riordan July 21, 2014 QUEENSLAND, NEW ZEALAND – Consumption of probiotics—the live bacteria found in yogurt, kefir, miso soup, and sauerkraut, among other foods—can lower blood pressure to a modest degree, according to the results of a new meta-analysis [1]. The reductions in systolic and diastolic blood […]

Pistachio Nut Consumption Improves Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Diabetes

RESEARCH · July 01, 2014 TAKE-HOME MESSAGE In this randomized, crossover, controlled feeding study, 30 adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) consumed a low-fat control diet with low-fat/high-carbohydrate snacks and a moderate-fat diet containing pistachios (20% of total energy) for 4 weeks each, separated by a 2-week washout. A diet containing pistachios significantly reduced […]

Hypertension After 80 Linked to Lower Dementia Risk

Medscape Medical News from the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC) 2014Susan Jeffrey July 14, 2014 COPENHAGEN, Denmark — New results from the 90+ Study show that new hypertension after 80 years of age is not only not a risk factor for dementia but is actually associated with reduced risk. In a longitudinal study of participants […]

Long-term use of beta blockers increases the risk for developing psoriasis.

Risk for Psoriasis Associated With Hypertension and Its Treatment RESEARCH · July 02, 2014 TAKE-HOME MESSAGE In this prospective cohort study using data from participants in the Nurses’ Health Study, the authors found a small, but significant, increased risk for psoriasis in individuals with hypertension for ≥6 years and in those on beta blockers for […]

Raised Vitamin-D Levels May Lower Blood Pressure: Gene Study

Heartwire Steve Stiles June 30, 2014 Story Source LONDON, UK — Elevated levels of vitamin D may well lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of hypertension, an analysis of gene variants in several large cohorts cautiously suggests[1]. The study found that the presence of several specific genetic mutations associated with reduced metabolic synthesis of […]

Effects of magnesium supplements on blood pressure, endothelial function and metabolic parameters in healthy young men with a family history of metabolic syndrome

E. Cosaro Nutrition, Metabolism & Cardiovascular Diseases Abstract Background and aims Magnesium plays an important role in the modulation of vascular tone and endothelial function and can regulate glucose and lipid metabolism. Patients with hypertension, metabolic syndrome (MetS) and diabetes mellitus (T2DM) have low body magnesium content; indeed, magnesium supplementation has been shown to have […]

Could Vitamin D Play a Role in BP?

Low levels of vitamin D may play a causal role in the development of hypertension, researchers found. by Parker Brown June 26, 2014 Low levels of vitamin D may play a causal role in the development of hypertension, researchers found. Each 10% increase in vitamin D concentration was associated with lower diastolic blood pressure (-.29 […]

Yoga for hypertension: a systematic review of randomized clinical trials

Complement Ther Med. 2014 Jun;22(3):511-22. doi: 10.1016/j.ctim.2014.03.009. Epub 2014 Mar 31. Posadzki P Abstract OBJECTIVES: To critically evaluate the effectiveness of yoga as a treatment of hypertension. METHODS: Seventeen databases were searched from their inceptions to January 2014. Randomized clinical trials (RCTs) were included, if they evaluated yoga against any type of control in patients […]

Magnesium Has No Effect on BP, Endothelial Function or Metabolic Parameters in Young Healthy Men WIth Family Hx of Metabolic Syndrome

Cosaro E, et al. – The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of magnesium supplements on hemodynamic and metabolic parameters in healthy men with a positive family history of MetS or T2DM. This study showed no beneficial effect of magnesium supplements on BP, vascular function and glycolipid profile in young men with […]

Dietary sugars and cardiometabolic risk

Systematic review and meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials of the effects on blood pressure and lipids American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 05/16/2014 > Evidence Based Medicine  Review Article Te Morenga LA, et al. – In this study, authors conducted a systematic review and meta–analysis of randomized controlled trials that examined effects of the modification of dietary free sugars […]

Mediterranean Diet Reduces Blood Pressure, Glucose, and Lipid Levels

Research · May 05, 2014 TAKE-HOME MESSAGE In this randomized, parallel-design, controlled trial including 235 participants, a Mediterranean diet supplemented with either extra virgin olive oil or nuts was associated with significant decreases in mean systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, fasting blood glucose levels, and total cholesterol compared with placebo. Patients at high cardiovascular […]

Vitamin D May Pare BP for Blacks

Published: Apr 11, 2013 By Crystal Phend , Senior Staff Writer, MedPage Today Story Source Action Points Blacks have higher rates of hypertension than whites in the U.S. and also have lower circulating levels of 25(OH)D. In this study, 3 months of vitamin D supplementation had a small to modest effect to lower systolic blood […]

Does high blood pressure reduce the risk of chronic low back pain? The Nord-Trøndelag Health Study

Eur J Pain. 2014 Apr;18(4):590-8. doi: 10.1002/j.1532-2149.2013.00398.x. Epub 2013 Sep 9. Heuch I1, Heuch I, Hagen K, Zwart JA. Abstract BACKGROUND: Epidemiological studies have suggested inverse relationships between blood pressure and prevalence of conditions such as migraine and headache. It is not yet clear whether similar relationships can be established for back pain in particular […]

‘Usual’ Sodium Intake Seems to Hit Right Balance

Published: Apr 6, 2014 | Updated: Apr 6, 2014 By Todd Neale, Senior Staff Writer, MedPage Today Action Points This meta-analysis evaluated the relationship between individual measures of dietary sodium intake versus outcome, in cohort studies and randomized controlled trials. Investigators found a U-shaped association such that both low sodium intakes and high sodium intakes […]

Yogurt and dairy product consumption to prevent cardiometabolic diseases: epidemiologic and experimental studies

American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 04/03/2014  Clinical Article  Full Story PubMed Reference Journal Reference Astrup A – Dairy products contribute important nutrients to the diet, including energy, calcium, protein, and other micro– and macronutrients. However, dairy products can be high in saturated fats, and dietary guidelines generally recommend reducing the intake of saturated fatty acids (SFAs) to […]

The effect of green tea on blood pressure and lipid profile

A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials  Nutrition, Metabolism & Cardiovascular Diseases, 03/27/2014  Evidence Based Medicine  Review Article Onakpoya I, et al. – The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the evidence for or against the effectiveness of green tea (Camellia sinensis) on blood pressure and lipid parameters. Green tea intake […]

BP May Be Lower Without Meat in the Diet

Published: Feb 24, 2014 By Todd Neale, Senior Staff Writer, MedPage Today Vegetarians had lower blood pressure than their omnivorous counterparts, a meta-analysis showed. Blood pressure was an average of 4.8/2.2 mm Hg lower among vegetarians in controlled trials and 6.9/4.7 mm Hg lower in cross-sectional studies (P<0.001 for all differences), according to Yoko Yokoyama, […]

Complementary and Alternative Approaches Relieve the Burden of Atrial Fibrillation

By Mark L. Fuerst Reviewed by Philip Green, MD, Assistant in Clinical Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Columbia University Medical Center, New York Full Story Take Note The regular practice of yoga improves symptoms, arrhythmia burden, heart rate, blood pressure, anxiety and depression scores, and several domains of quality of life among patients […]