Smoke exposure during pregnancy damages a baby’s blood pressure control, which may explain why such babies’ risk of cot death is higher, say experts.
Maternal smoking remains one of the biggest risk factors for cot death. A team at Sweden’s Karolinksa Institute found smoke-exposed babies had abnormal surges in blood pressure, even when sleeping undisturbed in their cots. These surges put extra demand on the heart, making it pump faster and harder, the journal Hypertension says. Read the rest of this entry »
According to a new study, vegetable consumption may be linked to lower blood pressure due to the presence of a specific amino acid.
The compound in question is glutamic acid, and according to the work conducted at the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University in Chicago, boosting its intake may contribute to better health of the circulatory system.
The researchers analyzed data from the International Study on Macro/Micronutrients and Blood Pressure which involved 4,680 people aged between 40-59 in rural and urban populations in China, Japan, the UK and the U.S. Read the rest of this entry »
It’s becoming less common for diabetics to lose their vision, according to a new study.
Researchers in Wisconsin followed nearly 1,000 type-1 diabetics between 1980 and 2007. They found that visual impairment is less common among those diagnosed after 1970, according to Reuters. The results also took into account age, blood pressure and other factors that can affect sight in diabetics.
They say better blood sugar control and improved treatment of diabetes-related eye disorders are preventing more cases of visual impairment than in previous years. Read the rest of this entry »
Scientists have discovered a significant correlation between blood pressure and outdoor temperature in a study that included a large sample of elderly adults.
The study was conducted by French scientists who monitored 8,801 French participants over the age of 65 and found that systolic and diastolic blood pressure values differed significantly across the four seasons of the year.
They noted that the higher the temperature, the greater the decrease in blood pressure. For example, systolic blood pressure decreased with increasing temperature, with an 8.0 mm Hg decrease between the lowest (less than 46.22 F) and the highest (70.16 F) temperatures. Read the rest of this entry »
A new drug for people whose high blood pressure cannot be controlled by existing medications has done well in a pivotal trial, researchers report.
Substantial reductions in blood pressure were achieved with various doses of the drug, darusentan, for people who were still hypertensive despite trying three or more medications, said a report released online Sept. 13 in The Lancet.
An effective new drug against resistant high blood pressure could be “potentially enormously beneficial,” said one expert, Dr. Kirk Garratt, clinical director of interventional cardiovascular research at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. Read the rest of this entry »
While exercise can boost mood, its health benefits have been oversold.
Moderate exercise can reduce the risk of diabetes in people at risk. Exercise may reduce the risk of heart disease and breast and colon cancers.
Though the evidence is mixed, exercise may also provide benefits for people with osteoporosis.
Physical activity alone will not lead to sustained weight loss or reduce blood pressure or cholesterol. Read the rest of this entry »
