Move away from a busy road: Blood Pressure Digest #14
LIFESTYLE
Observing Ramadan fasting with hypertension
#ramadan #fasting #medical #study #patient #issue #consult #doctor #monitor #balanced #diet #fruit #vegetable #lowdiary #avoid #highfat #sodium
As the holy month of Ramadan began, many people with hypertension may wonder if they can safely fast. Medical studies have shown that fasting is possible for hypertension patients who have no other medical issues, but it requires careful management, The Free Press Journal reports. To ensure a safe and healthy fasting experience, individuals with high blood pressure should consult with their doctors about their medication dosages and overall health. They should also monitor their blood pressure regularly, eat a balanced diet that includes plenty of fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy products, and avoid high-fat dishes and sodium-rich foods. With the right precautions, Ramadan can be a golden opportunity for hypertension patients to improve their health and wellbeing.
High fitness levels can reduce cardiovascular death risk in men with high blood pressure
A new study published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology shows that high levels of fitness in men can significantly reduce the risk of death from cardiovascular disease, especially for those with high blood pressure, ScienceDaily reports. The 29-year study conducted in eastern Finland found that men with high blood pressure and low fitness had more than doubled the risk of cardiovascular death compared to those with normal blood pressure and high fitness. The study's author, Professor Jari Laukkanen , recommends that men with high blood pressure aim to improve their fitness levels with regular physical activity and maintain a healthy weight.
Professor Laukkanen concluded: "Getting blood pressure under control should remain a goal in those men with elevated levels.”
Road traffic noise and air pollution increase the risk of hypertension
#traffic #noise #air #pollution #risk #hypertension #primaty #elevated #cvd #premature #biobank #uk #cohort #jacc
A new study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology has found that long-term exposure to road traffic noise and air pollution can increase the risk of primary hypertension. Elevated blood pressure is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease and premature death, affecting over 30% of adults worldwide. The study, which analyzed over 240,000 participants in the UK Biobank cohort, found a dose-response relationship between road traffic noise exposure and primary hypertension. The risk was further increased in participants with high exposure to both road traffic noise and air pollution. Identifying modifiable risk factors for hypertension is essential in preventing the growing burden of CVD.
Among the authors of these study are Dr Jing Huang of the Department of Women’s and Reproductive Health, University of Oxford, and Dr John Gulliver of the Centre for Environmental Health and Sustainability, University of Leicester. They concluded:
“Our results show that long-term residential exposure to road traffic noise is associated with elevated risk of incident primary hypertension. Furthermore, the effects are exacerbated by higher air pollution levels. Given the ubiquitous presence of road traffic noise and air pollution, these findings highlight the importance of minimizing exposure to road traffic noise and air pollution levels.”
Free hypertension management series offered in Texas
Looking to learn more about managing and preventing high blood pressure? The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service and McLennan Community College have partnered to bring you the Do Well, Be Well with Hypertension series starting on April 6th, AgriLife Today reports. The free series is aimed at adults interested in reducing high blood pressure through healthy nutrition and physical activity. The series will cover the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) eating pattern, with each session including information sharing, goal setting, and practical tips to reduce blood pressure. Sessions will take place on Thursdays from 5:30-7:30 pm and will be delivered in a casual social atmosphere. Register now to secure your spot!
RESEARCH
Americans are overconfident about their blood pressure
A new study has revealed that most Americans are overconfident in their knowledge of blood pressure, despite lacking accurate information about healthy levels, My Journal Courier reports. This overconfidence can lead to individuals failing to seek care for high blood pressure, a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke. The study, conducted by the team of Dr W?ndi BRUINE DE BRUIN , a behavioral decision scientist and a Professor of public policy, psychology, and behavioral science at the 美国南加州大学 , found that only 39% of participants knew what a healthy blood pressure reading was, while 64% expressed confidence in their understanding of blood pressure. To avoid false confidence, the American Heart Association recommends regular blood pressure monitoring and consultation with a doctor for strategies to lower blood pressure.
NUTRITION
Moderate reduction in salt consumption improves blood pressure
领英推荐
#salt #consumption #limit #recommendation #norm #reducton #sodium #intake #monitoring #smarthone #app
A new study has found that reducing dietary salt consumption can lead to a significant improvement in high blood pressure values, particularly for those with primary aldosteronism, a common secondary cause of hypertension. The study was conducted by a team of researchers from KLINIKUM DER UNIVERSITAT MUNCHEN in Munich, Germany, Medical News Today reports. They monitored 41 participants for 12 weeks using a smartphone app to track sodium intake, also found that a lower sodium diet led to a reduction in symptoms of depression and anxiety. While the average American consumes about 3,600 milligrams (mg) of sodium each day, equivalent to approximately 1.5 teaspoons or 6 tablespoons of salt, the American Heart Association recommends a limit of no more than 2,300 mg or approximately 1 teaspoon or 4 tablespoons of salt for adults and 1,500 mg or approximately two-thirds of a teaspoon or 2.5 tablespoons of salt for those with hypertension. Please note that these amounts refer to the total food consumption, including the amounts of salt that are already in the food we buy at shops. Contrary to the popular misconception, they do not refer only to any added salts, such as table salt. Any added salts should be avoided by people with hypertension.
Food as Medicine: The Impact of Diet on Blood Pressure
#healthy #diet #whole #foods #plant #based #cholesterol #level #meat #processedfood #fiber #eahethealth #heartdisease
A healthy diet consisting of whole foods and plant-based foods can lower cholesterol levels, blood pressure, and the risk of chronic diseases. The standard American diet, which mainly consists of meat and processed foods, lacks the recommended daily amount of fiber. Over time, poor dietary choices can lead to conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, stroke, and cancer, McLaren.org reports. McLaren Flint physician Robert Gildersleeve emphasizes that portion control, reducing the frequency of unhealthy foods, and increasing the intake of fresh fruits and vegetables can minimize the impact of unhealthy foods on health. In addition, delivery services and local food pantries can help those experiencing food insecurity.
Popular Sandwich Fillings Could Increase Blood Pressure
New research shows that popular sandwich ingredients, such as cheese and bacon, could be increasing blood pressure and raising the risk of serious health problems such as heart disease and strokes, Express reports. The average sandwich can contain more than a third of a person’s daily salt allowance, exceeding the recommended six-gram daily limit set by the NHS . The charity Blood Pressure UK recommends cutting down on high-salt sandwich ingredients, such as cheese, bacon, ketchup, mustard, and pickles, and opting for lower-salt sandwich options like hummus and beetroot, or tofu ‘egg’ mayo with rocket. Cutting down on salt is one of the “simplest” ways to lower blood pressure, and can start making a difference “very quickly”. Dr Justine Butler, Senior Health Researcher at Viva!, has warned that popular sarnie fillings could be raising your blood pressure reading.
Dr Butler said: “Sandwiches are filled with ingredients that contain high levels of salt, such as cheese and bacon, which could increase your blood pressure.”
Small fish and seafood can be beneficial to your blood pressure
#bloodpressurefriendly #diet #eating #habit #pattern #fish #seafood #bivalve #sardine #herring #clams #oysters #protein #hearthealth #omega3 #fatty #acid #calcium #vitamin #harvard #usa
Eating small fish and bivalves, such as sardines, herring, clams, and oysters, could be beneficial for your blood pressure, according to a study by the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health . The researchers found that people who ate more small fish had lower blood pressure compared to those who ate less or no small fish. Small fish are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which have been shown to have a beneficial effect on blood pressure. These types of seafood are rich in protein, heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids, calcium, and vitamin D, all of which can contribute to lower blood pressure levels, Harvard Health Publishing reports. Moreover, small fish and bivalves are less likely to contain contaminants such as mercury and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) compared with larger species like tuna and swordfish. By swapping terrestrial food sources for aquatic food sources, especially red meat, you can help lower your risk of heart disease, diabetes, and cancer, and improve your overall health and the environment.
"It’s much better for your health and the environment when you replace terrestrial food sources - especially red meat - with aquatic food sources," says Christopher Golden, assistant professor of nutrition and planetary health at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
INTERVIEW
Alex Mariakakis: “Jumping from heart sounds to a blood pressure measurement is not straightforward, but we plan on using machine learning to help us learn the mapping between the two”
In the Blood Pressure Digest #12, I have reported on the launch of project to investigate into possibilities for blood pressure monitoring via earbuds. University of Toronto's assistant professor in the department of computer science, Dr?Alex Mariakakis, has received a seed grant from?TRANSFORM HF?for his project, "Accessible Blood Pressure Estimation with Earbuds." Alex has kindly asked agreed to elaborate on this project:
How would you explain to a patient about the use of earbuds for monitoring blood pressure? My understanding is that the earbuds will transmit heart sounds to a system that analyzes them to determine the patient's blood pressure, am I right? How accurate is this technology?
Adaptive noise-cancelling earbuds have two microphones: one pointed outside of the ear to listen to the sound around us, and one pointed inside the ear to monitor what we are hearing to make sure the cancellation is working properly. It turns out that when a person is seated in a quiet room, the in-ear microphone can pick up all sorts of interesting sounds produced by the body. These sounds can range from snoring and teeth grinding to even subtle sounds like heartbeats. These audio signals contain a lot of interesting information about how the heart is functioning. Jumping from heart sounds to a blood pressure measurement is not straightforward, but we plan on using machine learning to help us learn the mapping between the two.
I understand that you have just started your research. What potential do you see in earbuds being used for blood pressure monitoring? Do you think your technology can ensure continuous monitoring?
The sounds that we're recording from within the ear are quite subtle, so we are anticipating that this technology would eventually be most accurate when a person is seated inside a quiet room. This could be during a remote health consultation when a person is talking with a doctor over Zoom, or it could be used as a daily monitoring tool that sits by someone's bed. Of course, continuous monitoring would be the most exciting application since earbuds are far more comfortable than a blood pressure cuff to wear throughout the day; however, we would need to use additional signal processing steps to account for noise due to motion and ambient background sounds. We feel that working on momentary assessment is a good first step.
What clinical, ethical and technical challenges are there to solve, those that you foresee now??
There are many challenges beyond the ones I have already mentioned. I list a couple of them below:
- The suitability of the sound that gets recorded within the ear for estimating blood pressure depends on many person-specific factors related to body shape - not just height and weight, but other factors like arterial stiffness and the length of vessels in the body. This is not only a technical challenge, but also a challenge about equitability since we want our technology to work on everyone regardless of their gender, age, or body shape.
- Giving patients access to convenient blood pressure assessment means that we can get a better understanding of how people's blood pressure varies over time (i.e., over multiple hours, days, or weeks). This data has been quite difficult to gather in the past. On the one hand, there is much to be learned from this data; on the other hand, helping patients and clinicians alike sort through this data and make meaning from it is a challenge that we will need to address.