May 15, 2012
TUESDAY, May 15 (HealthDay News) — Although people with a family history of high blood pressure (hypertension) are at much greater risk of developing the condition themselves, regular exercise and physical fitness may significantly lower that risk, according to a new study.
“The results of this study send a very practical message, which is that even a very realistic, moderate amount of exercise — which we define as brisk walking for 150 minutes per week — can provide a huge health benefit, particularly to people predisposed to hypertension because of their family history,” study author Robin Shook said in an American Heart Association news release.
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May 15, 2012
TUESDAY, May 15 (HealthDay News) — “Team-based care” should be used to improve patients’ blood pressure control, the U.S. Task Force on Community Preventive Services recommended on Tuesday.
The recommendation is based on a review of 77 studies that showed improvements in patients’ control of blood pressure when they received care from a team of health professionals — a primary care doctor supported by a pharmacist, nurse, dietitian, social worker, or community health worker — rather than a primary care doctor alone.
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April 16, 2012
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By Amanda Gardner
MONDAY, April 16, 2012 (Health.com) — It’s no secret that fast-food fare like burgers, french fries, and fried chicken tends to be high in sodium. According to a new study, however, American fast-food customers may be getting a larger dose of sodium than their counterparts in other countries—even if they order the exact same items off the menu.
In the study, published this week in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, researchers analyzed the posted nutritional information for more than 2,000 items sold in multiple countries by the world’s six largest fast-food chains: Burger King, Domino’s Pizza, KFC, McDonald’s, Pizza Hut, and Subway.
Overall, the researchers found, fast food tended to be saltier in the United States than in the other countries included in the study: Australia, Canada, France, New Zealand, and the U.K. What’s more, the sodium content of the same menu items at the same chains varied by country, sometimes widely. Read More
January 6, 2012
FRIDAY, Jan. 6 (HealthDay News) — Air pollution may increase the risk of type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure in black American women, a new study suggests.
Previous research has shown that air pollution boosts the chances of acute cardiovascular events such as stroke and heart attack, but it hasn’t been known whether it also increases the likelihood of chronic diseases such as diabetes and high blood pressure (hypertension).
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December 21, 2011
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By Amanda Gardner
WEDNESDAY, December 21, 2011 (Health.com) — People who sprinkle salt on everything and gravitate toward unhealthy high-sodium foods may be expressing a taste preference formed during early infancy, a small new study suggests.
Researchers found that six-month-old babies are more likely to enjoy the taste of salt if they have already been given starchy table foods such as cereal and crackers, the most common source of sodium for babies. Read More
December 16, 2011
FRIDAY, Dec. 16 (HealthDay News) –
Routine blood pressure monitoring measurements taken at clinics are frequently inaccurate and can affect treatment for high blood pressure, according to a new study.
The incorrect measurements occur because some health care providers don’t follow official American Heart Association recommendations for accurate and consistent blood pressure measurements, the researchers said in a journal news release.
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December 16, 2011
FRIDAY, Dec. 16 (HealthDay News) — Playing football may put certain teens at increased risk for stroke, according to a small new study.
Researchers from the Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis analyzed three case studies of teen football players who suffered a stroke, and identified some factors that could boost the likelihood of a stroke.
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December 8, 2011
By Serena Gordon
HealthDay Reporter
THURSDAY, Dec. 8 (HealthDay News) — A new study found that the risk of stroke dropped about 22 percent in people with prehypertension who took drugs that lower blood pressure.
These people didn’t yet have high blood pressure, but they still benefited from taking the medications, although there was no significant reduction in the rate of heart attacks for people taking antihypertensives.
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November 21, 2011
MONDAY, Nov. 21 (HealthDay News) — Young adults with elevated blood pressure have an increased risk of death decades later, according to a new study.
High blood pressure is a known risk factor for coronary heart disease and stroke but most of the evidence supporting this connection has come from studies of middle-aged and elderly people.
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October 20, 2011
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By Ray Hainer
THURSDAY, October 20, 2011 (Health.com) — Eighty-eight percent of U.S. children and adults consume more sodium per day than the amount recommended by federal dietary guidelines, according to a new report released today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
And most Americans aren’t just exceeding these guidelines; they’re shattering them. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Department of Agriculture recommend that adults and teens limit their daily sodium intake to 2,300 milligrams, but according to the report the average intake is 3,513 milligrams—53% above the suggested limit. Read More
