In a nutshell This paper studied the effect of beta-blocker therapy in patients with high blood pressure and untreated sleep apnea. The authors found that beta blockers reduce the increased heart rate caused by sleep apnea. Some background Beta-blockers are a group of drugs that are used in the treatment of heart disease. They reduce...
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“The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched – they must be felt with the heart.” ~Helen Keller Heart and Soul Perhaps the idea that the soul resides in the heart comes from its constancy. Our hearts start to beat in the womb at around 6 weeks. Usually parents-to-be can hear it at their 3 month prenatal...
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In a nutshell This paper compared the effect of renal denervation to medication alone in patients with resistant high blood pressure. The authors concluded that renal denervation and intensified medical treatment is similar have similar effects on blood pressure. Some background Resistant hypertension is high blood pressure which cannot be...
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In a nutshell The authors studied the effect of flaxseed on blood pressure. Patients taking flaxseed had a greater decrease in blood pressure than patients who did not. Some background Systolic blood pressure refers to the blood pressure when the heart contracts, while diastolic blood pressure refers to the blood pressure when the heart...
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In a nutshell This paper compared the effect of zofenopril or irbesartan (Avapro) plus a thiazide diuretic on blood pressure in arteries of elderly patients. A combination of a thiazide diuretic plus zofenopril or irbesartan was found to be effective in lowering blood pressure. Some background Systolic blood pressure is the blood pressure...
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In a nutshell This paper reviewed the link between sleep and high blood pressure. Some background Diet changes and physical activity are the main lifestyle changes used to manage high blood pressure. Studies suggest that an adequate amount of quality sleep could also prevent and treat hypertension (high blood pressure). Methods &...
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In a nutshell This study examined the effectiveness of olmesartan (Benicar) combined with either a calcium channel blocker (CCB), or a diuretic, on blood pressure variability in elderly and very elderly hypertensive patients. The authors concluded that olmesartan combined with a CCB led to decreased blood pressure variability only in very elderly...
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In a nutshell This study examined the most beneficial blood pressure targets for patients with hypertension and increased cardiovascular risk. Some background Hypertension (high blood pressure) affects roughly one billion people worldwide, particularly people over the age of 50. High blood pressure increases the risk of cardiovascular events, such...
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In a nutshell This paper studied how pregnancy and pre-eclampsia affects heart function. Some background Pre-eclampsia is a complication of pregnancy where there is increased blood pressure and damage to an organ, usually the kidney. It is also associated with increased risk of heart disease and stroke in the mother. Assessing heart function after...
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In a nutshell This paper reviewed the American Heart Association guildelines for the treatment of hypertension in patients with coronary artery disease. Some background Coronary artery disease (CAD) refers to a build-up of substances in the blood vessels to the heart. This obstructs blood flow and can increase the risk of angina (chest pain) and...
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In a nutshell This paper aimed to determine the efficacy of acupuncture for high blood pressure. Some background Essential hypertension refers to high blood pressure from no known cause. It can cause various health complications. Antihypertensive drugs can help reduce blood pressure. While effective, there are side effects from the drugs and...
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In a nutshell This paper studied whether pregnancy complications could predict the risk of death from cardiovascular disease (heart or blood vessel related diseases). Some background Complications sometimes occur in pregnancy. These complications can give an indication about the mothers’ health and ability to cope with pregnancy....
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