This study investigated whether first-degree atrioventricular block, which is delay in the electrical conduction in a heartbeat, increase the risks of developing irregular heartbeat conditions and heart failure among patients with high blood pressure. 

We searched the web during September and October 2014 to find  online communities that were available to support patients with high blood pressure or hypertension.  Support for the  rare disease pulmonary hypertension (affecting 1 in 100,000 to 1 in 1 million people) was excluded from this list.

The communities that were discovered varied greatly in the recency of postings, the activity of those involved and the number of members.  Some of this was self-evident or obvious from the home page of the community.  In other cases, it was necessary to join the group in order to determine the level of activity.  Some of the groups do not provide numbers of participants.

All figures relate to when this post was researched, during September-October 2014. Of course, these figures can change over time.

Relatively active online communities

Website / Community	Size	Vibrancy & Recommendations
	26,000	There are over 800 posts on hypertension, 186 topics covered.Over 1,200 people say that their primary condition is hypertension.People are responsive and active.There is a significant amount of helpful information within this community.
	500	Signing up is easy.  It asks for your age and location.  This is so they can provide you with info about other people that you can link up with…perhaps in real life…to get support.People are responsive and active.If the group doesn’t answer your question, a moderator will answer.Joining several groups is easy and a good idea.
	2,100	This closed group discusses medications and natural alternatives.It is actively policed to remove posts trying to sell products.People are joining this group on a regular basis to discuss their experiences.

Relatively inactive online communities

Website / Community	Size	Vibrancy & Recommendations
	1538	This group is one of several groups on SupportGroups.com. Unfortunately, the questions and comment threads are a few months old.
		The most recent posting is April 2014.
		This is a moderated forum.It is not extremely active…only 2 posts in September.The most recent post was someone posting a survey without any real information.  Two people in the community told the poster that there was “no way in the world I would click on that link without a lot more information about you.”
	203	The most recent discussion is May 2014.  The most popular posts occurred in 2012.

This article investigated the safety and effectiveness of a processed rice bran (PRB) supplement in the management of patients with high blood pressure (BP). The authors concluded that daily consumption of a rice bran supplement with PRB can improve mildly high BP.  

This study compared blood pressure levels measured before and after the onset of different types of stroke. 

This study examined the effect of resistance and endurance training on blood pressure, arterial stiffness and myocardial oxygen demand in prehypertensive patients.

This study evaluated the side effects associated with anthracycline treatment in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) who undergo stem cell transplantation (SCT). This study concluded that anthracycline treatment may impact survival outcomes for these patients after a SCT.

This study looked at whether the drug combination of amlodipine (Norvasc) and perindopril (Aceon), given at increasing doses, is successful in reducing high blood pressure.