http://medicalxpress.com/ en-us Medical Xpress internet news portal provides the latest news on Health and Medicine. A research study of more than 600 black patients with uncontrolled hypertension found that less than half were prescribed a diuretic drug with proven benefit that costs just pennies a day, report researchers at Weill Cornell Medical College and the Visiting Nurse Service of New York's (VNSNY) Center for Home Care Policy and Research. The researchers say these new findings should be taken as a serious wake-up call for physicians who treat black patients with hypertension. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-01-black-patients-hypertension-diuretics.html Cardiology Tue, 22 Jan 2013 16:59:27 EST news278096353 According to new research published Online First in the Lancet, body mass index may influence which blood pressure medications work best at reducing the major complications of high blood pressure (strokes, heart attacks, and death). The findings suggest that diuretic drugs seem to be a reasonable choice for obese patients, but significantly increase the risk of cardiovascular events in non-obese individuals. Calcium channel blockers, meanwhile, work equally well in people in all weight groups, including lean individuals. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-12-body-mass-index-blood-pressure.html Health Wed, 05 Dec 2012 18:30:01 EST news273948262 University of Cincinnati cardiologists are conducting a one-of-a-kind clinical trial to determine if a dialysis-like procedure could be deemed the new standard of care for patients suffering from extensive fluid retention caused by heart failure. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-02-clinical-trial-benefits-mechanisms-ultrafiltration.html Cardiology Thu, 23 Feb 2012 07:43:27 EST news249205376 Roughly 5 million people in the United States live with heart failure, a condition in which the heart is unable to pump blood around the body effectively. The causes and types of heart failure vary greatly, and treatment must be tailored to each patient. In some cases, doctors will prescribe a class of diuretic drugs called aldosterone antagonists. However, these diuretics may cause dangerously high levels of potassium in the blood (hyperkalemia) of certain patients, putting them at risk for sudden cardiac death. Therefore, it is crucial that doctors weigh the risks and benefits of prescribing aldosterone antagonists for their patients who have heart failure. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-09-bolsters-case-aldosterone-antagonists-heart.html Cardiology Mon, 19 Sep 2011 11:15:49 EST news235649639