Hypertension

Women with severe preeclampsia (severe high blood pressure) during pregnancy may be treated with extended-release nifedipine, a blood pressure-lowering medicine, daily during the labor and delivery process, according to new research published today in Hypertension , an American Heart Association journal. Women treated with the medicine were less likely to experience dangerously high blood pressure that would require treatment with fast-acting medicines including intravenous (IV) medications. The study examined whether treatment with nifedipine, an extended-release blood pressure-lowering medication, leading up to labor and delivery may prevent severe blood pressure levels from developing, and, as a result, avoid the need to administer fast-acting IV medications. According to the American Heart Association, preeclampsia is typically diagnosed after 20 weeks of pregnancy and indicates high blood pressure measures with symptoms such as headaches, vision changes and swelling of the...

Oct. 6 was National Depression Screening Day. Instituted in 1991, this day is intended to pull the topic of depression from the shadows, shine a light on its prevalence and ways to identify it in your own life. If you've struggled with depression, you're not alone. It's the most common mental health issue facing adults, and, as of 2021, it affects nearly one in three in the United States—a prevalence rate that has more than tripled in the last two years. This dramatic increase in diagnoses has clear links to the COVID-19 pandemic's beginnings in the early months of 2020. But a glimmer of hope cuts through the darkness depression can bring: 80% of those who seek treatment experience an improvement in their symptoms within four to six weeks.  As promising as treatment can be, roughly two-thirds of those experiencing depression symptoms do not seek help. To encourage all members of the Case Western Reserve University community to take inv...

Nocturnal hypertension is elevated blood pressure that occurs at night. Normally, blood pressure varies by circadian rhythm and is 10–20% lower at night. This phenomenon is known as "nocturnal dipping." The absence of the normal dipping pattern and high blood pressure at night have both been linked to complications like kidney damage and cardiovascular disease. Read on to learn about nocturnal hypertension and its symptoms, causes, and management. invizbk / Getty Images Nocturnal Hypertension Definition Daytime blood pressure higher than 120/80 mmHg (millimeters of mercury, a measurement unit of pressure) is considered elevated. Nighttime blood pressure is typically lower than daytime. Nocturnal hypertension refers to any blood pressure above 110/65 mmHg at night. Patterns of Nocturnal Blood Pressure Nocturnal blood pressure can also be described by patterns of blood pressure changes throughout a 24-hour cycle: "Dipper...

(ET, ) - It was the most watched episode in Shark Tank history when sisters Anna and Samantha Martin won over the Shark Tank panel. N ever before had the judging panel unanimously decided to each invest millions of dollars into a potential company. After buying a staggering 25% share in the sisters' company, the Shark Tank panel have personally mentored the pair, helping them undergo re-branding and re-packing of their miracle product. Touting their discovery as "the greatest step forward in weight-loss history," the judges were quick to offer up their hard earned cash to back the entrepreneurial pair. "We were shocked. The most we were hoping for was some advice…we weren't even sure that we would manage to get any investors," explained Samantha. After outstanding offers from each panel member, the sisters burst into tears. "It didn't feel real. The fact tha...

The project collected the blood sugar, blood pressure, heart rate, white blood cell count and albumin levels of patients hospitalized with stroke. After their discharge from the hospital, patients were contacted by phone and given a brief standardized test designed to detect cognitive impairment, including problems with memory and ability to focus, plan and problem-solve.  Harris and fellow investigators assigned each patient an allostatic load score—with a higher score indicating greater exposure to chronic stressors—based on their physical test results. They then examined the relationship between each patient's allostatic load score and their score on the cognitive test. Among the patients, 248 identified as white, 195 as Black and 261 as Hispanic. Allostatic load and cognitive impairment were not greater in any racial group. However, researchers found that Black patients with higher allostatic load also had greater cognitive impairment after discharge from the hospital....

It is thought the results are due to the fact pecans are rich in healthy fatty acids and fibre, both of which are known to lower cholesterol. Ms Cooper added: "Whether people added them or substituted other foods in the diet for them, we still saw improvements and pretty similar responses in total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in particular." The researchers also cited an existing meta-analysis of 51 exercises designed to lower cholesterol, which produced an average reduction of one percent in total cholesterol and five percent in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. "The addition of pecans to the diet not only produced a greater and more consistent reduction in total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein compared to many other lifestyle interventions, but may also be a more sustainable approach for long-term health," Ms Cooper said. READ MORE: Vitamin D deficiency linked to risk of premature death in new study - 4 most common signs

Russia is bringing new military units into Kherson as it prepares to defend the city from any fresh Ukrainian offensive, the head of Ukraine's Defense Intelligence Agency said in an interview with Kyiv-based news website Ukrainska Pravda. Maj. Gen. Kyrylo Budanov said that, while Moscow was moving injured people, cash and the Russian-installed administrative authorities and financial institutions out of the city, it was putting more troops in. "[Russian bank] Promsvyazbank and other financial structures that the Russians brought there are being taken out," Budanov said. "They are taking out cash, [internet] servers, the so-called occupation authorities … All the non-walking, seriously injured are being taken out, they are trying to discharge those who can walk as soon as possible from hospitals … They create the illusion that everything is lost," added Budanov. "And at the same ti...

(BakiBG/E+ via Getty Images) Telehealth care by pharmacists is an effective alternative to clinic-based care for managing high blood pressure, a new study has found. Scientists know that high blood pressure is a major modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular-related deaths in the U.S. But controlling the condition, also known as hypertension, has been difficult. Nearly half of U.S. adults have high blood pressure, but only about 1 in 5 has their hypertension under control. For the new study, researchers compared two types of care for moderately severe, uncontrolled high blood pressure: traditional clinic-based care, using face-to face visits with doctors and medical assistants, and telehealth care, with home blood pressure telemonitoring and home-based care coordinated via telephone by a pharmacist or in some cases, a nurse. The research was conducted on 3,071 people, whose average age was 60, in a randomized trial involving 21 primary care clinics in Minnesota and Wisconsin...

Alcohol can trigger or worsen anxiety. If you or someone you love is experiencing alcohol related anxiety, there are ways to cope. Society would have us believe that there's no better way to unwind after a long day than by drinking a glass of wine, cold beer, or sipping your go-to liquor. But trying to relax with a drink or two may not give you the long-term anxiety relief you want. In fact, drinking can change the chemistry of the brain in a way that actually makes anxiety worse. Knowing how alcohol affects anxiety may make it less tempting to have a drink to cope. While everyone may experience anxiousness from time to time, a person who has an anxiety disorder often finds their anxiety doesn't go away and may actually get worse with, or without provocation. Anxiety disorder symptoms can disrupt a person's life, making it difficult to work, participate in social events, and maintain relationships. The exact symptoms of an anxiety disorder depend on which disorder a person ...

DALLAS, October 4, 2022 — The American Heart Association and American Medical Association (AMA) nationally recognized 1,309 health care organizations — about 200 more than in 2021 — for their efforts to prioritize blood pressure (BP) control among their patient populations. According to the 2021 American Heart Association Statistical Update, nearly half of U.S. adults — 121.5 million — are living with high BP, a leading risk factor for heart disease, stroke and premature death. High BP accounts for more than $52 billion in annual health care costs.[1] Target: BP™ is a joint initiative of the American Heart Association and the American Medical Association aimed at reducing the number of adult patients with uncontrolled BP through evidence-based quality improvement. The organizations recognized by the Target: BP program for their efforts this year represent 49 states or U.S. territories and serve more than 28 million patients,...

Helping patients achieve and maintain blood pressure goals Helping patients achieve and maintain blood pressure goals There are over 115 million adults in the United States with hypertension, with many cases being uncontrolled hypertension. 1 These patients are at higher risk for heart attacks, strokes, heart failure, kidney disease and peripheral vascular disease so they would benefit from continued monitoring and treatment of their hypertension, regardless of whether the care is provided virtually or in-person. 2 This guide highlights seven key steps physicians and care teams can take to use SMBP with high blood pressure patients who are 18 years and older and includes links to useful supporting resources. 1. Identify patients for SMBP Patients with an existing diagnosis of hypertension Patients with high blood pressure without a diagnosis of hypertension Patients suspected of having hypertension (labile or masked hypertension) 2...

Alcohol can trigger or worsen anxiety. If you or someone you love is experiencing alcohol related anxiety, there are ways to cope. Society would have us believe that there's no better way to unwind after a long day than by drinking a glass of wine, cold beer, or sipping your go-to liquor. But trying to relax with a drink or two may not give you the long-term anxiety relief you want. In fact, drinking can change the chemistry of the brain in a way that actually makes anxiety worse. Knowing how alcohol affects anxiety may make it less tempting to have a drink to cope. While everyone may experience anxiousness from time to time, a person who has an anxiety disorder often finds their anxiety doesn't go away and may actually get worse with, or without provocation. Anxiety disorder symptoms can disrupt a person's life, making it difficult to work, participate in social events, and maintain relationships. The exact symptoms of an anxiety disorder depend on which disorder a person ...

Panic attacks typically involve overwhelming feelings of fear that come over you suddenly, usually without any obvious threat. If you experience panic attacks, you're not alone: Around 13.2% of people will have a panic attack at some point in their lifetime, and roughly two-thirds of people who have one panic attack will experience additional ones. But many more people may experience milder episodes of panic that don't quite meet the full criteria for a panic attack. These limited symptom attacks, also called subclinical or subthreshold panic attacks, may only involve two or three symptoms. Even so, they may feel awful, uncomfortable, or overwhelming — not to mention disrupt your daily life. Read on to get the rundown on limited symptom attacks, including possible causes, what they feel like, and tips to manage them. Limited symptom attacks may appear as an early sign of panic disorder, a condition where you have recurring panic attacks. They may also happen during treatment fo...

[unable to retrieve full-text content] What Is Essential Hypertension? Definition, Causes, and More    Healthgrades

According to filings in the New York State Supreme Court, the former program director at the defunct Boys & Girls Club of Western Broome County is being ordered to pay a Madison County man, who claimed he was abused at the facility when he was a teen, over a half-million dollars.    Supreme Court Justice Christopher Baker has issued the default judgement against Gerald Berg in settlement of a 2019 lawsuit, ordering Berg to pay the victim $600,000.      The unnamed victim was 14-years-old when he had been working at the then Louis N. Picciano Boy's Club in 1976 and Berg was a swimming instructor.   WNBF News/Roger Neel Photo WNBF News/Roger Neel Photo loading...     The plaintiff claimed he had been sexually abused by Berg in the instructor's office and after being lured to Berg's home.   According to a report in the Binghamton Evening Press in 1977, Berg had been charged with ...