Home blood pressure monitors can help keep your blood pressure in check

Home blood pressure monitors can help people keep their blood pressure in check and possibly cut down on medication -- as long as the patients and their doctors put those home readings to good use, a new research review finds.

The analysis, of 37 international clinical trials, found that on average, adults with high blood pressure who were assigned to use home monitors shaved a few points off their blood pressure compared with counterparts who stuck with doctor's office measurements alone.

The home monitor users were also twice as likely to reduce the number of blood pressure medications they needed.

Researchers say the findings, reported in the journal Hypertension, should encourage people with high blood pressure to invest in a home monitor. The devices generally range in cost from about $25 to more than $100, depending on the features.

"Everyone who wants to know how well (their) blood pressure is controlled should monitor blood pressure at home," the study's lead author, Dr. Rajiv Agarwal of the Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis, said.

He also likened blood pressure monitors to exercise treadmills, though. People may buy them with good intentions, but how they use them is what matters.

In their study, Agarwal and his colleagues found that home monitoring tended to work better when it was part of a general plan to adjust medications in response to the home readings.

The conventional way to do that is to bring your blood pressure readings to your doctor at each visit; some home monitors have memory storage that automatically records each reading and allows you to print out the information.

A few of the studies Agarwal's team reviewed tested so-called telemonitoring, in which wired or wireless technology is used to automatically send blood pressure readings to the doctor's office. Those studies tended to show greater effects on blood-pressure control than studies without telemonitoring.

Right now, though, telemonitoring is not commonly used for managing high blood pressure and studies are still investigating its value.

The findings are based on 37 clinical trials that included a total of 9,446 men and women with high blood pressure. In each, researchers randomly assigned some patients to use home blood pressure monitors and the rest to stay with office-based measurements. Most of the studies followed the participants for a few months to one year.

Overall, study participants using home monitors saw their blood pressure dip by 2 to 3 points, and most of the studies came out in favor of home monitoring over office-based measurements alone -- though the differences were generally small.

Patients with home monitors were also more likely to be able to cut down their drug regimen. In one of the larger trials, for example, 51 of 203 home-monitor patients reduced their number of medications, versus 22 of 197 patients without home monitors.

That, according to Agarwal's team, may be because home monitoring helps detect the "white coat effect" -- when a person's blood pressure spikes in the doctor's office.

Dr. Giuseppe Mancia, who co-wrote an editorial published with the study, agreed that home monitors are a good investment.

"I definitely believe that all (high blood pressure) patients should be advised by their physician to use a home BP monitor," Mancia, of the University of Milano-Bicocca in Italy, said.

He also pointed out, however, that patients should use the monitors only as often as their doctors recommend, and not become obsessive about checking their numbers. Obsessive checking could just spur anxiety, which could, in turn, boost blood pressure.

Mancia said people should also be sure to choose monitors that have been validated for accuracy according to international criteria. Certain professional groups, like the British Hypertension Society and the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation, test blood pressure monitors' reliability and maintain lists of validated monitors on their websites.

Daily orange juice could lower diastolic blood pressure

Drinking orange juice every day may have important heart health benefits.  A recent study published online in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that consuming about two cups of 100 percent orange juice every day for one month significantly lowered diastolic blood pressure among men who were slightly overweight, but otherwise healthy.(1) Improvements also were seen in other indicators of cardiovascular health, notably better functioning of the inner lining of blood vessels.

These results were observed when men drank 100 percent orange juice, as well as when they consumed a control drink plus purified hesperidin. Hesperidin, which is naturally found in oranges and orange juice, is a plant flavonoid, a member of the polyphenol family of plant compounds, which may have beneficial effects on human health.

"The main result of this study is that orange juice and hesperidin appear to promote a decrease in blood pressure, particularly diastolic blood pressure. This likely is the result of improved blood flow induced by a better functioning of the blood vessels. At the anatomical level, these beneficial effects on blood circulation could be due to a positive effect of orange juice and hesperidin on blood vessel dilatation and vessel resistance," said Christine Morand, lead author of the study from the French National Institute for Agronomic Research. "While the benefits were seen with both orange juice and hesperidin, results were most significant for orange juice, indicating that other properties in orange juice may be playing additional beneficial roles."

Study Highlights

In this randomized, controlled, cross-over study, 24 healthy overweight men, aged 50 to 65 years, consumed three different four-week dietary treatments, with a three-week 'wash-out' period between each treatment:

1. 500 milliliters a day of 100 percent orange juice, which is equivalent to 17 ounces or about 2 cups of orange juice;
2. 500 milliliters a day of a control drink plus a capsule of 292 milligrams of hesperidin, which was equivalent to the amount naturally found in the 500 milliliters of orange juice provided and;
3. 500 milliliters a day of a control drink plus a placebo.

Significant benefits seen from both the consumption of 100 percent orange juice and the purified hesperidin include:

• Improvements in blood pressure: Diastolic blood pressure (DBP), the bottom number in a blood pressure reading, significantly decreased by an average of 5.5 mmHg when the 100 percent orange juice group was compared to the placebo control group and by an average of 3.2 mmHg when the hesperidin group was compared to the placebo control group.  DBP is the pressure on artery walls when the heart relaxes between beats. DBP values are an important cardiovascular health indicator: the higher the diastolic blood pressure, the greater the risk for heart attacks, strokes and kidney failure.
• Improvements in blood vessel function: The inner lining of blood vessels demonstrated a significantly better ability to widen (called "vasodilation") immediately following both the orange juice and hesperidin treatments, with orange juice having a more significant effect. When blood vessels widen, there is less resistance to blood flow which leads to a decrease in blood pressure. This reduces the heart's workload, and serves as an important indicator of overall cardiovascular health.

Heart Health Benefits of 100 Percent Orange Juice

This study supports a larger body of epidemiologic evidence that has shown citrus fruit consumption is associated with a number of cardiovascular benefits including a lower risk of acute coronary events and stroke. (2),(3)

 Note: The research was supported by a grant from the Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC). FDOC's role was limited to the provision of orange juice and the analysis of orange juice components. FDOC had no role in study design, data collection, data analysis, decision to publish or preparation of the manuscript.  

Reduce your risk of stroke by 80% - lifestyle change matters!

A person who opts for healthy lifestyle choices can have an 80% lower risk of first time stroke compared to individuals who do not, scientists have revealed in an article in the medical journal Stroke. Of the 795,000 strokes that occur in the USA, over 77% are first events, the authors explain. After heart disease and cancer, stroke is the biggest cause of premature death in America. It is a major cause of disability.  New stroke prevention guidelines, which had previously been updated in 2006, are being issued.

The researchers say two factors can significantly reduce the incidence of first time strokes:

• Health lifestyle choices
• Emergency room interventions

Larry B. Goldstein, M.D., director of the Duke Stroke Center in Durham, N.C., said:

"Between 1999 and 2006, there's been over a 30 percent reduction in stroke death rates in the United States and we think the majority of the reduction is coming from better prevention."  Up to 1999 stroke incidence had been on the rise. There had been a 39% increase in hospitalizations due to stroke from 1988 through 1997.

The authors say the stroke rate in America will rise because people are living longer.

This time the stroke prevention guidelines address the condition as a broad continuum of related events, including ischemic stroke, non-ischemic-stroke and TIA (transient ischemic attack).

A stroke is a condition in which a blood clot or ruptured blood vessel interrupts the flow of blood to a specific area of the brain. Lack of glucose and oxygen flowing to the brain results in the death of brain cells and subsequent brain damage. The patient may have problems with speech, memory and movement. There are two main types of stroke:

• Ischemic stroke - represent about 87% of all strokes. A thrombus (blood clot) forms, blocking blood flow to a part of the brain. Sometimes the clot can form in another part of the body, becomes dislodged and free-floating (an embolus). The embolus can make its way through the bloodstream to the brain where it can cause an ischemic stroke.

• Hemorrhagic stroke (non-ischemic stroke) - a blood vessel ruptures. The leaking blood fills the space between the brain and skull (subarachnoid hemorrhage). Can also occur if a defective artery in the brain bursts and fills the surrounding tissue with blood (cerebral hemorrhage). In both cases there is poor bloodflow to the brain, plus the accumulation of leaking blood places excessive pressure on the brain.

• A transient ischemic attack (TIA), also known as a mini-stroke, is a temporary interruption of blood flow to a part of the brain. TIA symptoms may be similar to a stroke, however they last for a shorter time and do not leave noticeable permanent damage. TIAs are considered major risk factors for a later, larger stroke.

Highlighted below are some major updates in the new stroke prevention guidelines:

Healthy lifestyle choices - don't smoke, follow a healthy low fat diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables, if you consume alcohol do so in moderation, keep your body weight within normal limits, and exercise regularly. People who adopt ALL these lifestyle choices can have an 80% lower risk of developing a stroke.

Source: MedNews Today

Race, gender and where you live strongly affect your risk for high blood pressure

A new study finds that race, gender and where you live strongly affect your risk for high blood pressure, which is a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke.  Deaths from heart disease and stroke in the United States decreased 65 percent overall between 1968 and 2006, but rates of cardiovascular death are still higher in the southeastern United States, in blacks compared to whites, and in men compared to women.

Study author Dr. Deborah A. Levine and colleagues suspected high blood pressure may play a role in these differences. They examined data from 3,436 people in Birmingham, Ala., Chicago, Minneapolis and Oakland, Calif., who took part in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study.

The participants were aged 18 to 30 when they enrolled in the study and none of them had high blood pressure. After 20 years of follow-up, high blood pressure had been diagnosed in:

• 37.6 percent of black women
• 34.5 percent of black men
• 21.4 percent of white men
• 12.3 percent of white women.

• 33.6 percent of Birmingham residents
• 27.4 percent in Oakland, Calif.
• 23.4 percent in Chicago
• 19 percent in Minneapolis.

After they adjusted for a number of risk factors, the researchers concluded that living in Birmingham significantly increased the risk of developing high blood pressure.

"In addition, independently of where they live, blacks -- especially black women -- are at markedly higher risk of hypertension even after we took into account factors that are known to affect blood pressure, such as physical activity and obesity," Levine, an assistant professor of internal medicine at the University of Michigan Medical School, said in an American Heart Association news release.

Further research is needed to learn more about how race, gender and geography affect high blood pressure risk, she added.

The study appears in the Dec. 6 online issue of the journal Hypertension.

Lizard venom could open up new areas for treatment of high blood pressure

Scientists have discovered five new types of lizard venom which could prove a goldmine for researchers working on the next generation of blood pressure and heart disease medication.

The results of a wide-ranging four-year study, led by University of Melbourne venom expert Bryan Fry, also found some lizard species thought not to be venomous actually were.

''Their venom is unlike anything we've ever seen,'' Dr Fry said. ''These are brand-spanking new toxin classes, completely unique.''

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Of the five new classes of venom discovered, three already show huge potential for drug design and development because of the small size of their compounds. ''You want to start with something small,'' Dr Fry said. ''If you start with something big then there is a greater chance of the immune system reacting violently to it … we have found three that aren't going to be picked up by the immune system at all.''

Dr Fry said the next step was to ''reinvent the wheel'' and make an artificial version of the venom. The aim would be to make it more potent and stable than the naturally occurring venom and also to extend its life in the human body.

The study involved collecting and analysing the venom of 25 lizards from around the world including the monitor, North American alligator lizard and European legless lizard. These lizards belong to a group of venomous lizards called anguimorphs which have, scientifically speaking, been an untapped resource.

However, Dr Fry said it was possible that ''obscure little lizards'' could hold the key to the next wonder drug - and this being the case, it was vital that their habitat was preserved.

Historically, reptile venom has proved a handy tool for scientists developing drugs for high blood pressure. ''But these three [toxins] are completely different, which is important because they hit the blood pressure system completely differently,'' Dr Fry said. ''Basically, we now have three more opportunities for treating high blood pressure.''

The findings have been published in this month's edition of theJournal of Molecular and Cellular Proteomics.

Institute of Medicine increases RDA for Vitamin D

The recommended dietary allowance for vitamin D in the USA and Canada have been increased - the guidelines were issued today by the Institute of Medicine (IoM). For the last ten years people have been reading conflicting reports on what their vitamin D intake should be, as well as calcium intake. Consequently, the US and Canadian governments asked the IoM to examine data and health outcomes linked to vitamin D and calcium consumption, and to produce new DRIs (Dietary Reference Intakes).

The new recommendations for daily vitamin D intake are (upper level):

• 1000 IU - infants up to 6 months of age
• 1,500 IU - ages 6 months to 12 months
• 2,500 IU - ages 1 to 3 years
• 3,000 IU - ages 4 to 8 years
• 4,000 IU - 9 years and older

The new recommendations for daily calcium intake are (upper level):

• 1,000 milligrams - infants up to 6 months of age
• 1,500 milligrams - ages 6 months to 12 months
• 2,500 milligrams - ages 1 to 8 years
• 3,000 milligrams - ages 9 to 18 years
• 2,500 milligrams - 19 years to 50
• 2,000 milligrams - 51 years and older

Vitamin D has historically been associated with healthy bones, however new research has revealed other benefits, including cancer and diabetes prevention. Vitamin D has also been found to reduce the risk of hypertension (high blood pressure).

Professor of foods and nutrition, James C. Fleet, from Purdue University, said:

"There is a consensus among most experts that many people have low serum of vitamin D levels, an indicator of vitamin D status, but there is disagreement on how high those levels need to be and how much is needed to raise vitamin D to a healthy level.

Some believe that vitamin D has incredible benefits and the recommended amount should be even higher than the new recommendation. However, research does not yet mirror those beliefs, so there is more work to be done."  Prof. Fleet studies how vitamin D controls calcium metabolism, as well as its role in prostate and colon cancer prevention. He adds that the new recommendations will help federal guidelines for various nutrition programs, including the food stamp program, the WIC (Woman, Infants and Children) program, and school lunch programs.

Vitamin D helps transport calcium and phosphorous through the digestive system - it is a cholecalciferol. Bone health does not only depend on adequate levels of calcium, but also phosphorous. Phosphorous is vital for cell strength and energy production.

Although sunlight is a good source of vitamin D, in that it stimulates the skin to synthesize the vitamin, it may also raise the risk of skin cancer. Sun exposure needs to be carefully measured, the amount depends on several factors, including which part of the world you live in, the season, and your type of skin. Some medications can also make the skin more sensitive to the negative effects of sunlight.

Prof. Fleet said:

"For most people, and assuming they live somewhere there is ample sunlight, it really doesn't take much sun to make adequate levels of vitamin D. However, that said, the dermatology community believes that there is no such thing as safe sun, so people need to get vitamin D from supplements or their diet."

Salmon, sardines, shrimp and eggs are rich in vitamin D. It is commonly added to breakfast cereals, orange juice and milk.

Fleet explains that most people do not consume enough vitamin D foods for their daily requirements. Vitamin supplements can be used to fill any dietary shortfalls.

People over 9 years of age should not receive over 4,000 IUs daily, Fleet adds. This is higher than the previous 2,000 limit. Those taking more than the recommended limit should check with their doctor.

Fleet said:  "Several groups need to especially pay attention to their vitamin D levels. For example, people with dark skin or those who cover up can't make vitamin D in their skin. Also, we lose the ability to make vitamin D in the skin as we age. At the same time, older adults' bones are becoming weaker, especially for postmenopausal women, so it is critical that vitamin D is consumed adequately to preserve bone health."

"Dietary Reference Intakes for Calcium and Vitamin D"

Source: Medical News Today / Christian Nordqvist

UK Scientists have developed a new urine test which may help doctors predict pre-eclampsia, a serious and often life-threatening complication in pregnant women.

According to a study published in Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, the composition of five proteins in the urine at around 18 weeks' gestation can predict pre-eclampsia with high accuracy. 

University of Leicester researchers believe the new test can help physicians detect woman at-risk of developing the life-threatening high blood pressure condition in early stages and manage the disorder better and with less complications. 

Pre-eclampsia affects approximately 5% of pregnancies and is a condition which can pose serious health concerns, including kidney, liver and neurological problems, to both mother and fetus. 

The condition is characterized by a dramatic rise in the blood pressure and the presence of excessive protein in the urine usually after the 20th week of pregnancy. 

Warning symptoms for the condition includes headache, abdominal pain, visual problems such as blurred vision, shortness of breath, nausea and vomiting, confusion and anxiety. 

Although there is no cure for pre-eclampsia, at risk mothers may be treated with preventive measures, including the use of medications to lower blood pressure, corticosteroids (for severe cases), anticonvulsives such as magnesium (severe cases), or bed rest. 

“Early identification will allow focused monitoring of those women and timely delivery of their babies, as well as reassurance for women at low risk,” said lead researcher Matt Hall. 

Overweight children show signs of future heart disease by 15 or 16

Children who are overweight are already showing signs of future heart disease when they hit 15 or 16, according to the first study of its kind.  Being overweight or obese aged nine to 12 leads to a higher chance of displaying risk factors - including high blood pressure and high cholesterol - at age 15 or 16.

The study, of more than 5,000 children, investigated blood pressure, glucose and insulin levels, and cholesterol.  At the start of the study, when the youngsters were aged nine to 12, 19% of the sample were overweight and another 5% were obese.

Researchers, led by a University of Bristol team, found that those children who were still overweight when they reached 15 or 16 were more likely to have high blood pressure, high cholesterol and high insulin levels - all risk factors for heart disease.

At this age, 29% had high systolic blood pressure (pressure exerted when the heart beats) and 3% had high diastolic blood pressure (pressure between heart beats). But those youngsters who lost weight before they reached 15 or 16 had less risk, particularly if they were girls.

"Girls who favourably alter their overweight status between childhood and adolescence have cardiovascular risk profiles broadly similar to those who were normal weight at both time points," the experts said.

"But boys who change from overweight to normal show risk factor profiles intermediate between the normal at both ages and overweight at both ages."

The research, published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ), is the first of its kind to investigate the link between body mass index (BMI) at ages 9 to 12 and then heart disease risk factors aged 15 to 16.

The experts found a large waist circumference and high body fat mass were also correlated to increased risk, regardless of BMI.

Source: Press Association

Up to eight percent of Canadian children have a blood pressure which is cause for concern

Up to eight per cent of Canadian children have elevated blood pressure that could be cause for concern, researchers say.  For 15 years, researchers have focused on obesity and nutrition to fight high blood pressure, a risk factor for heart disease in general.

Professor Terrance Wade, Canada Research Chair in Youth and Wellness at Brock University in St. Catharines, Ont., is trying something different.

Wade's five-year study focuses on why children might not be getting enough physical activity and developing elevated blood pressure.  Many of the findings about elevated blood pressure in kids have been observed in adults.  "So, it's completely predictable, but it's also worrisome," Wade said Wednesday.

Using repeated measurements from automated blood pressure cuffs, the researchers found 1.5 per cent to four cent of the children participating in the study would be classified as having serious hypertension because they fell in the 95th percentile for high blood pressure.  Another 6.5 per cent to eight per cent of children studied had elevated blood pressure that could be a cause for concern.

The research team of sociologists, cardiologists and exercise physiologists have developed an intervention that aims to help children and youth deal with stress and reduce blood pressure.

The four-step program includes:

      Focusing on children's strengths and making them aware of these.

      Teaching children to focus on positive emotions and adopting a glass half-full perspective.

      Thinking about how children spend their free time.

      Learning coping skills to manage stress.

      The program includes a one-week youth leadership camp for children in grades six to eight. Participants go on to pass on what they have learned to their peers at school

The researchers hope to have results on whether the intervention at five schools in St. Catharines worked by the end of the summer.

The five-year study is funded by the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario.

Source CBC / Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2010/11/24/blood-pressure-children-stress.html#ixzz16I6BIXIt

Experts in Blood Pressure - new e-shop launch

Experts in Healthcare has launched a new e-shop to support people looking to buy clinically validated blood pressure monitors.  The new e-shop will not only be selling high quality, validated blood pressure monitors, but will also be offering news and information about high blood pressure as well as video reviews and podcasts.  Experts in Blood Pressure Monitors is one of a number of new sites that will be launched over the next year with plans to expand into allergy products, child health and diabetes.

http://www.expertsinbloodpressure.co.uk/

A short blast of radio waves to the kidneys can help control high blood pressure in patients who do not respond to medication, a study shows.

The pioneering work, described in The Lancet medical journal, selectively severs nerves to the kidney that play a key role in regulating blood pressure.  Although still in the testing phase, experts say the procedure could one day help hundreds of thousands of patients.

Half of patients fail to achieve good blood pressure control with drugs.  This is partly because it can be difficult to remember to take medication every day. But for up to a fifth of patients it is because the drugs simply have no effect.

High blood pressure is an exceedingly common condition, affecting around one in three adults in England.  Experts believe the new procedure could help many of these better control their condition, thereby lowering their risk of future strokes and heart attacks.  Doctors led by Professor Murray Esler at the Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute in Melbourne, Australia, have been testing the safety and effectiveness of the therapy.

To get to the kidneys, the doctors use a long, thin piece of tubing called a catheter that is threaded into an artery in the groin and guided up to the kidney.  Once in place, the catheter is connected to a machine that generates radio waves, known as radiofrequency energy.

In this way, a short burst from the machine can knock out a number of tiny nerves that run in the lining of the arteries of the kidney.  By stopping these nerves from sending signals the treatment lowers blood pressure.  The Australian team, working with 24 centres across the globe, have tested the treatment in trials involving more than 100 patients.  They found the therapy lowered blood pressure by about 10mmHg or more - which although is not enough to return blood pressure to a 'normal' level is enough to reduce some of the associated health risks of very high blood pressure.  And, importantly, there were few side effects if any.

The first patient in the UK received the innovative procedure at Barts and The London NHS Trust a year ago.  Commenting on the findings, Professor Jeremy Pearson of the British Heart Foundation said: "This trial opens up a potentially exciting new avenue for the treatment of patients with high blood pressure who do not respond well to current medicines.

"Further studies are needed to see if this invasive procedure will be acceptable to patients and produce long-lasting effects that are safe and reduce future cardiovascular events."

Source: BBC News

Garlic extract can reduce blood pressure say Australian researchers

Australian doctors enrolled 50 patients in a trial to see if garlic supplements could help those whose blood pressure was high, despite medication.  Those given four capsules of garlic extract a day had lower blood pressure than those on placebo, they report in a scientific journal.  Garlic supplements have previously been shown to lower cholesterol and reduce high blood pressure in those with untreated hypertension.

In the latest study, researchers from the University of Adelaide, Australia, looked at the effects of four capsules a day of a supplement known as aged garlic for 12 weeks.  They found systolic blood pressure was around 10mmHg lower in the group given garlic compared with those given a placebo.  Researcher Karin Ried said: "Garlic supplements have been associated with a blood pressure lowering effect of clinical significance in patients with untreated hypertension.

"Our trial, however, is the first to assess the effect, tolerability and acceptability of aged garlic extract as an additional treatment to existing antihypertensive medication in patients with treated, but uncontrolled, hypertension."

Experts say garlic supplements should only be used after seeking medical advice, as garlic can thin the blood or interact with some medicines.

Ellen Mason, senior cardiac nurse at the British Heart Foundation, said using garlic for medicinal purposes dates back thousands of years, but it is essential that scientific research proves that garlic can help conditions such as raised blood pressure.  She said: "This study demonstrated a slight blood pressure reduction after using aged garlic supplements but it's not significant enough or in a large enough group of people to currently recommend it instead of medication.

"It's a concern that so many people in the UK have poorly controlled blood pressure, with an increased risk of stroke and heart disease as a consequence. So enjoy garlic as part of your diet but don't stop taking your blood pressure medication."

The study is reported in the journal Maturitas.

Source: BBC News

Teens warned to cut down salt if they wish to avoid high blood pressure

A teenager who consumes recommended quantities of salt each day has a considerably lower risk of developing hypertension (high blood pressure), stroke, heart disease, and dying prematurely later on in life during adulthood, researchers from the University of California, San Francisco, explained at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2010, Chicago. They added that processed foods contribute significantly to the high salt intake that currently affects many teens and their families. They also suggest that food manufacturers should do more to reduce the levels of salt in their produce.

Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo, Ph.D., M.D. and team used an advanced computer modeling analysis system to work out the long-term health benefits if salt levels in processed foods were reduced by 3-grams per day nationwide. They focused on produce consumed most commonly by male and female teenagers.

The team explain that teenagers consume more salt than any other age group in America - over 9 grams daily, equivalent to over 3,800 milligrams of sodium. The daily recommended amount stands at 1,500 milligrams of sodium daily, according to the American Heart Association.

They worked out that a 3 gram drop in daily salt intake among teenagers would result in a 380,000 to 550,000 reduction in the eventual number of young adults or late teenagers with hypertension (high blood pressure) - a decrease of between 44% to 63%.

This same reduction in daily salt intake during teen years would eventually result in between 2.7 million to 3.9 million fewer adults aged 35 to 50 with hypertension.

Bibbins-Domingo, Ph.D., M.D. said:

"Reducing the amount of salt that is already added to the food that we eat could mean that teenagers live many more years free of hypertension. The additional benefit of lowering salt consumption early is that we can hopefully change the expectations of how food should taste, ideally to something slightly less salty.

A one-gram-per-day reduction in salt consumption results in a small drop of systolic blood pressure of 0.8 mm Hg. Reducing the salt in the teenage diet from an average of 9 grams to 6 grams would get teenage boys and girls to appropriate levels of salt intake."

Highlighted below are some projections the team made if teenagers reduced their daily salt intake. By the time the teenagers were 50 years old:

• There would be 120,000 to 210,000 fewer cases of coronary heart disease, a drop of 7% to 12%
• There would be 36,000 to 64,000 fewer heart attacks, a fall of 8% to 14%
• There would be 16,000 to 28,000 fewer strokes, a reduction of 5% to 8%
• There would be 69,000 to 120,000 fewer deaths from any cause

According to the researchers, approximately 80% of a typical teenager's salt intake comes from processed foods, just over a third comes from breads, pastries and cereals.

Bibbins-Domingo, Ph.D., M.D. said:

"The hidden places of salt in our diet are in breads and cereals, canned foods and condiments, and of course fast foods," said Bibbins-Domingo, also co-director of the UCSF Center for Vulnerable Populations. "Most of the salt that we eat is not from our salt shaker, but salt that is already added in food that we eat."

According to the National Center for Health Statistics, the most salt-laden processed food regularly eaten by teenagers is pizza.

The team welcomes the efforts made by some food manufacturers to reduce salt content in their produce, such as joining the National Sodium Reduction initiative. However, these efforts should be widened to all manufacturers, who should work with state and federal authorities.

Source: American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2010

Written by Christian Nrodqvist 
Copyright: Medical News Today 

Solar powered BP monitor could be breakthrough for low-income nations health

A solar-powered blood-pressure measuring device that's reliable and affordable could help reduce rapidly rising rates of cardiovascular disease in low-income nations, according to a new study.

Field tests at three medical centers in Africa -- two in Uganda and one in Zambia -- showed that the $32 automated device is 94 percent in agreement with the standard blood-pressure testing method for systolic blood pressure, which is the top number in a blood-pressure reading and represents the maximum pressure when the heart contracts.

It was less accurate for diastolic blood pressure (the lower number that shows pressure when the heart is relaxed), but that is something that should be easy to fix, the researchers said. They also noted that systolic blood pressure is the major contributor to cardiovascular events and tends to be the more important reading.

The research is reported Nov. 8 in the journal Hypertension.

It took about 15 minutes to train medical center staff to use the device. The staff then used the new device and a standard device to take blood pressure readings on about 716 patients. They repeated this one month later. Medical staff and patients said they preferred the solar device over the standard device.

"Solar energy eliminates the need for expensive rechargeable batteries in remote areas where electricity and the availability of batteries might be scarce, but sunlight is plentiful. It can be run on batteries, but it can also be left in the sunlight to charge, making it ideal for rural areas and use out in the bush," lead author Dr. Eoin O'Brien, a professor at Conway Institute of Biomolecular and Biomedical Research of the University College Dublin, Ireland, said in an American Heart Association news release.

He noted that the incidence of hypertension, or high blood pressure, has risen dramatically in low-income nations, many of which lack trained medical personnel.

"Hypertension leads to stroke and heart attack as the major cause of death around the world. It is greater than malnutrition, cancer and AIDS," O'Brien said.

"We have been able to provide an accurate, robust and inexpensive device to diagnose high blood pressure," O'Brien added. "It's a start. If we can't measure blood pressure, we certainly can't begin to treat hypertension."

SOURCE: American Heart Association, news release, Nov. 8, 2010 / HealthDay.

Researchers discover important link between adrenal gland hormone and brain in hypertension

PRESS RELEASE ALERT!

A hormone already responsible for increasing blood pressure by prompting the kidneys to retain salt appears to moonlight as a major stimulator of the brain centers that control the vascular system and blood pressure.

Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center studied patients who overproduce aldosterone to see whether the hormone had any effect on sympathetic nerve activity responsible for blood pressure increases.  "Between 10 percent and 20 percent of patients with high blood pressure who are resistant to treatment have elevated aldosterone hormones," said Dr. Wanpen Vongpatanasin, associate professor of internal medicine at UT Southwestern and senior author of the study in the October issue of the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. "Previous studies in animals showed that this hormone can affect many parts of the brain that control the cardiovascular system. We wanted to understand whether aldosterone also increases the nerve activity that causes constriction of blood vessels, which elevates blood pressure in humans.  "Since aldosterone can cause high blood pressure by affecting multiple systems and not just the kidneys, this study sheds light on why blood pressure is so difficult to control in patients with high aldosterone levels."


Aldosterone is an essential hormone that regulates electrolytes in the body. Created by the adrenal glands, it is responsible for re-absorption of sodium and water into the bloodstream and for regulating potassium. High levels of aldosterone can cause high blood pressure, muscle cramps and weakness.
Dr. Vongpatanasin and her team studied 14 hypertensive patients who overproduced aldosterone, a condition known as primary aldosteronism, and compared them with 20 hypertensive patients and 18 patients with normal blood pressure.


The data showed that in humans, aldosterone does increase activity in a part of the nervous system that raises blood pressure. Such activity contributes to the onset of hypertension. Furthermore, when the nerve activity was measured in patients who had adrenal surgery to remove tumors that produced this hormone, both nerve activity and blood pressure decreased substantially.  "Our study also suggested that treatment of hypertension in these patients not only requires targeting the kidneys but also the sympathetic nervous system that controls blood pressure," Dr. Vongpatanasin said. "Since our study shows that patients with high aldosterone levels have high nerve activity, future studies are needed to determine how we could prevent effects of aldosterone on the brain."


The research was supported by the National Institutes of Health, the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation, the George M. O'Brien Kidney Research Center, the Lincy Foundation and the Burroughs Wellcome Fund.
Other UT Southwestern researchers who contributed to the study included senior author Dr. Andrew Kontak, postdoctoral researcher in internal medicine; Dr. Zhongyun Wang, research associate in internal medicine; Debbie Arbique, advance practice nurse in internal medicine; Beverley Adams-Huet, assistant professor of clinical sciences; Dr. Richard Auchus, professor of internal medicine; and Dr. Shawna Nesbitt, associate professor of internal medicine. Other researchers included Dr. Ronald Victor of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.

This news release is available on: http://www.utsouthwestern.edu/home/news/index.html

What is pre-hypertension? WSJ Blog

While a third of Americans suffer from full-blown high blood pressure, at least that many — and possibly up to 37% of the population — are in a borderline zone called prehypertension. And that “precondition” carries its own risks of heart disease, stroke, and progression to full hypertension, today’s Informed Patient column reports.

As high blood pressure is increasingly identified as a risk factor for health problems including stroke, heart disease, kidney disease and even dementia, researchers are trying to find out more about prehypertension and how to address it. But the new medical designation has also sparked some contentious debates, which are expected to play out in February at the first international conference on prehypertension. One planned session is called “Is it Justified to Merge Normal and High Normal Blood Pressure into Prehypertension?” and there will also be a debate, “Prehypertension – Is it a Disease or Disease Invention?”

That kind of question has been swirling since 2003, when a federal panel, the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure, designated prehypertension as a new classification covering a range long considered “normal to high normal”: blood pressure between 120 and 139 millimeters of mercury systolic (the pressure at the moment the heart beats) or between 80 and 89 mm Hg diastolic (when the heart is at rest).

The committee did not suggest drug treatment for prehypertension, recommending only lifestyle modifications, such as weight loss and exercise. But after a 2006 study showed that blood-pressure drugs can reduce the progression to hypertension in prehypertensive patients, more physicians have been calling for pharmaceutical solutions.

In August of this year, an article in the British Medical Journal noted that in the wake of the new classification, prehypertension is emerging as a potential goldmine for drug companies, and pointed out that many physicians who were members of the committee have disclosed financial relationships to industry.

One of the committee members named in the article is George Bakris, director of the Hypertension Center at the University of Chicago, who has disclosed consulting arrangements with several drug companies. Bakris, for his part, tells the Health Blog that the committee’s decision had nothing to do with drug-company interests, and was meant to educate and empower patients.

At the time the committee was finalizing its recommendations, he says, new studies were showing that cardiovascular risk starts climbing at blood-pressure readings of 115/75, not 140/90. And starting at 115/75, the risk doubles for each 20 mm Hg increase in systolic pressure and each 10 mm Hg increase in diastolic pressure.

“Everyone wants to beat up on the term prehypertension, like saying it is pre-death, when we are all pre-death,” Bakris says. “But we know if we intervene in blood pressure we can buy back some lost lifetime for the patient, if we can get it under control.” After 55, there is a 90% chance that most people will become hypertensive if they aren’t already, he notes. “I tell patients the analogy is that if you know there is a fire in one room of your house, if you don’t do something about it, the house is going to burn down.”

By Laura Landro / WSJ