blood pressure

(Newser) - Some 8,000 lives a year are being lost because blacks suffer from higher blood pressure than the white population, surprising new research has discovered. "We expected it to be big, but it was even larger than we anticipated," said a researcher of the racial disparity. Some 40% of blacks have high blood pressure while 30% of whites suffer from the problem. The reason for the difference isn't clear, though researchers believe poverty may play a role. More »

(Newser) - The gas we pass is unpleasant when it escapes, but it may also be key to lowering blood pressure, the BBC reports. It seems that hydrogen sulfide is produced by an enzyme in blood vessels, researchers at Johns Hopkins University found. Mice who lacked the enzyme experienced what would be serious hypertension in humans, even when injected with a vessel relaxant, they reported in the journal Science . More »

(Newser) - Those five bottles of pomegranate juice you drink per day to help you live longer? Turns out they could be hurting you, reports the Chicago Tribune . Pomegranates, which have reached “superstar status” because of their alleged health benefits, can interfere with a number of drugs, including Crestor and Lipitor. "I do not recommend this product at this time," said one pharmacy professor. More »

(Newser) - Trials begin this week in London on a cheap "polypill" that could cut heart attack and stroke deaths in half worldwide, the Guardian reports. The pill combines four drugs—aspirin, a cholesterol-lowering statin, an ACE inhibitor, and thiazine to battle high blood pressure. The aim is to sell it—for about $1 a month—over the counter at pharmacies in the developing world, where cardiovascular disease is soaring. More »

(Newser) - An Om a day might just keep the blood pressure medication away, reports NPR. Daily meditation helped lower the blood pressure in two-thirds of patients in a recent study who were striking out on the medication front. Participants used the “relaxation response” technique, of sitting quietly for 15 minutes while repeating a word silently. Nitric oxide production increases, opening blood vessels wider and lowering blood pressure. More »

(Newser) - Doctors are prescribing drugs to more and more children to treat conditions related to obesity, the New York Times reports. Data released by pharmacy plans show that medication for Type 2 diabetes has seen the biggest increase—151% from 2001 to last year. And this month, a pediatricians group recommended cholesterol-lowering drugs for kids as young as 8. More »

(Newser) - Sleep apnea could cause heart attacks to occur at night, Reuters reports. The disorder, in which breathing is temporarily blocked during sleep, causes changes in blood pressure and hormone levels that might increase arterial blockage, a new study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology finds. More »