Hypertension News

A new study published in British Journal of Pharmacology has identified that a component of grapefruit and other citrus fruits, naringenin, successfully blocks the formation of kidney cysts. Polycystic kidney disease is an inherited disorder which leads to the loss of kidney function, high blood pressure and the need for dialysis. Few treatment options are currently available.

Men and women with hypertension and men with diabetes are less likely to take their medications after retirement, according to a study in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.

In a study that included more than 140,000 participants from 17 countries of varying income levels, researchers found a large gap between detection and control of hypertension across all countries studied, with just over half of participants with hypertension aware of their diagnosis, and about one-third of those being treated for hypertension successfully controlling their blood pressure, according to a study in the Sept. 4 issue of JAMA.

Implementation of a large-scale hypertension program that included evidence-based guidelines and development and sharing of performance metrics was associated with a near-doubling of hypertension control between 2001 and 2009, compared to only modest improvements in state and national control rates, according to a study in the Aug. 21 issue of JAMA.

A new study published in the American Journal of Hypertension suggests that black patients preoccupied with racial concerns have higher blood pressure than those who aren't. The findings suggest that heightened race consciousness could at least in part account for the disproportionately high rate of hypertension in black Americans — the highest prevalence of any group in the United States and one of the highest rates in the world.

A new technique that involves removing the nerves connecting the kidney to the brain has significantly reduced blood pressure in a new study published in the journal Hypertension. The procedure, which has very few side effects, has already shown promising results in hard-to-treat cases of high blood pressure, study authors said.

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) is advising anyone with Type 2 diabetes or hypertension to be evaluated for sleep apnea by a board-certified sleep medicine physician. The recommendation comes as the group of international clinicians and researchers meets in Baltimore for SLEEP 2013, the foremost gathering of sleep experts annually.

A cup of beetroot juice a day may help reduce high blood pressure, according to a small study in the American Heart Association journal Hypertension.