http://medicalxpress.com/ en-us Medical Xpress internet news portal provides the latest news on Health and Medicine. Plastic additives known as phthalates (pronounced THAL-ates) are odorless, colorless and just about everywhere: They turn up in flooring, plastic cups, beach balls, plastic wrap, intravenous tubing and—according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention—the bodies of most Americans. Once perceived as harmless, phthalates have come under increasing scrutiny. A growing collection of evidence suggests dietary exposure to phthalates (which can leech from packaging and mix with food) may cause significant metabolic and hormonal abnormalities, especially during early development. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-05-phthalates-links-chemicals-widely-plastics.html Pediatrics Wed, 22 May 2013 04:00:02 EST news288377310 (HealthDay)—Blood levels of free fatty acids are associated with insulin resistance during young adulthood and cardiovascular risk factors in later adulthood, according to a study published online May 13 in Diabetes. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-05-free-fatty-acids-linked-cardiac.html Cardiology Fri, 17 May 2013 12:30:01 EST news288009521 A cup of beetroot juice a day may help reduce your blood pressure, according to a small study in the American Heart Association journal Hypertension. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-04-cup-beetroot-juice-daily-blood.html Health Mon, 15 Apr 2013 16:00:02 EST news285241469 (HealthDay)—A primary care strategy targeting rural, low-income, African-American patients with type 2 diabetes is associated with improved glycemic control, according to research published in March/April issue of the Annals of Family Medicine. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-04-primary-ups-african-americans-glycemic.html Health Fri, 05 Apr 2013 08:06:12 EST news284367965 Energy drinks may increase blood pressure and disturb your heart's natural rhythm, according to research presented at the American Heart Association's Epidemiology and Prevention/Nutrition, Physical Activity and Metabolism 2013 Scientific Sessions. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-03-energy-blood-pressure-disturb-heart.html Cardiology Thu, 21 Mar 2013 16:00:01 EST news283096150 Even though a newly recognized cardiomyopathy, which mainly impacts women, is typically treatable, Tako-tsubo cardiomyopathy can also be deadly when compounded by other co-morbidities, such as heart failure, according to a study being presented March 9 at the American College of Cardiology (ACC) Scientific Sessions. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-03-beware-newly-heart-cardiomyopathy-benign.html Cardiology Sat, 09 Mar 2013 14:51:34 EST news282063077 Using a telemedicine system to engage people in underserved, urban communities to measure and report their blood pressure remotely—outside of the doctor's office—appears to help them achieve blood pressure goals and improve adherence to lifestyle changes and medication recommendations, according to research being presented at the American College of Cardiology's 62nd Annual Scientific Session. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-03-patient-telemedicine-result-blood-pressure.html Cardiology Thu, 07 Mar 2013 12:48:54 EST news281882927 Stroke patients who lowered their systolic blood pressure below 130 mm Hg were significantly less likely to have a recurrent stroke caused by a brain bleed compared with those who didn't lower their pressure that far, according to late-breaking science presented at the American Stroke Association's International Stroke Conference 2013. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-02-blood-pressure-safe-recurrent.html Cardiology Mon, 11 Feb 2013 06:09:49 EST news279785343 Men who reported permanent stress have a significantly higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes than men who reported no stress. This is the finding of a 35-year prospective follow-up study of 7,500 men in Gothenburg, by the University of Gothenburg, Sweden. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-02-permanent-stress-diabetes-men.html Diabetes Thu, 07 Feb 2013 10:57:04 EST news279457011 People who eat yogurt a few times per week are less likely to develop high blood pressure than those who rarely eat it, according to Tufts research. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-01-yogurt-blood-pressure.html Health Thu, 17 Jan 2013 07:30:00 EST news277630192 (HealthDay)— New guidelines issued by the American Diabetes Association (ADA) Thursday may reduce the number of people who need to take blood pressure medications, and they may help more people get insurance coverage for testing their blood sugar levels. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-12-diabetes-guidelines-patient-medical-bills.html Diabetes Fri, 21 Dec 2012 07:00:03 EST news275290738 People who regularly use cocaine socially have stiffer arteries, higher blood pressure and thicker heart wall muscle than non-users, according to research presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2012. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-11-recreational-cocaine-linked-conditions-heart.html Cardiology Mon, 05 Nov 2012 12:30:01 EST news271335722 In an examination of the incidence of coronary heart disease (CHD) in the U.S. by race and sex, black men and women had twice the rate of fatal CHD compared with white men and women, with this increased risk associated with a greater prevalence of CHD risk factors, according to a study appearing in November 7 issue of JAMA, a theme issue on cardiovascular disease. The study is being released early online to coincide with the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-11-fatal-coronary-heart-disease-higher.html Cardiology Mon, 05 Nov 2012 12:00:08 EST news271336878 Uncontrolled high blood pressure damages the brain's structure and function as early as young middle-age, and even the brains of middle-aged people who clinically would not be considered to have hypertension have evidence of silent structural brain damage, a study led by researchers at UC Davis has found. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-10-high-blood-pressure-brain-early.html Neuroscience Wed, 31 Oct 2012 20:20:01 EST news270932782 People who cooked with a blend of sesame and rice bran oils saw a significant drop in blood pressure and improved cholesterol levels, according to new research presented at the American Heart Association's High Blood Pressure Research 2012 Scientific Sessions. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-09-sesame-rice-bran-oil-lowers.html Cardiology Wed, 19 Sep 2012 16:00:05 EST news267289062 Adding more yogurt to your diet without increasing the number of calories you eat may help lower your risk of high blood pressure, according to new research presented at the American Heart Association's High Blood Pressure Research 2012 Scientific Sessions. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-09-yogurt-consumption-blood-pressure-incident.html Cardiology Wed, 19 Sep 2012 16:00:02 EST news267289101 As a college student, you may be happy simply not to have gained the "Freshman 15." But a University of Illinois study shows that as little as 1.5 pounds per year is enough to raise blood pressure in that age group, and the effect was worse for young women. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-09-small-weight-gains-blood-pressure.html Health Thu, 06 Sep 2012 16:38:28 EST news266168299 Consuming energy drinks can exert acute positive benefits on myocardial performance, according to research presented today at the ESC Congress by Dr Matteo Cameli from University of Siena. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-08-energy-heart-function.html Cardiology Mon, 27 Aug 2012 11:51:06 EST news265287061 Women with acute heart failure have similar in-hospital mortality to men but are less treated in the real world, according to results from the global ALARM-HF registry presented today at the ESC Congress 2012. The findings were presented by Dr John T. Parissis from Greece. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-08-women-acute-heart-failure-similar.html Cardiology Mon, 27 Aug 2012 11:10:02 EST news265283692 Lifestyle behaviour in adolescents may adversely affect blood pressure and cardiovascular risk in adulthood, according to results from a large pregnancy follow-up study in Australia. In particular, alcohol consumption among boys, use of the Pill among girls, and high salt intake and increasing body mass index (BMI) in both sexes were important factors linked to blood pressure levels in late adolescence. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-07-oral-contraceptive-girls-alcohol-consumption.html Cardiology Wed, 11 Jul 2012 07:32:11 EST news261210718 (HealthDay) -- Teen girls who use birth control pills and teen boys who drink alcohol are at increased risk for elevated blood pressure, according to a new study. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-07-teens-lifestyle-choices-affect-blood.html Cardiology Tue, 10 Jul 2012 09:50:01 EST news261131227 (HealthDay) -- A reduction in central to brachial amplification induced by some antihypertensive drugs may result in lesser reductions in central than brachial systolic blood pressure, according to research published online May 25 in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-06-anti-htn-drugs-distinct-effect-central.html Medical research Wed, 06 Jun 2012 14:10:01 EST news258208003 A 25 per cent increase in high blood pressure screening in 19 developing countries would reduce the number of cardiovascular disease (CVD) events and deaths that occur each year by up to 3 per cent in these countries. The preliminary data presented today at the World Congress of Cardiology are the first findings from a new report from Harvard that will be published later this year. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-04-additional-blood-pressure-screening-incidence.html Cardiology Sun, 22 Apr 2012 08:07:16 EST news254300805 Middle-aged men at the upper end of normal blood pressure had an elevated risk for atrial fibrillation later in life, according to new research in Hypertension: Journal of the American Heart Association. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-01-middle-aged-men-upper-normal-blood-pressure.html Cardiology Tue, 17 Jan 2012 16:25:57 EST news246039950 Doctors at the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre today performed a minimally invasive surgical procedure to treat high blood pressure, called renal denervation, for the first time in Canada. The procedure can significantly reduce high blood pressure in patients who cannot effectively treat their hypertension through drugs. These patients, numbering approximately 250,000 Canadians, have to endure an especially high risk of heart attacks and stroke, which continues to kill thousands of Canadians every year. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-01-canada-renal-denervation-procedure-high.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Tue, 17 Jan 2012 14:17:36 EST news246032221 Although there have been cardiovascular safety concerns about attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) medications because of their ability to increase heart rate and blood pressure levels, an analysis that included more than 150,000 ADHD users found no evidence of an increased risk of heart attack, stroke or sudden cardiac death associated with current use compared with nonuse or rare use among young and middle-aged adults, according to a study appearing in JAMA. The study is being released early online because of its public health importance. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-12-cardiovascular-events-adults-adhd-medications.html Attention deficit disorders Mon, 12 Dec 2011 11:00:01 EST news242905723 Factors such as low hemoglobin levels, increased systolic blood pressure, and male gender are linked to a higher risk of silent cerebral infarcts (SCIs), or silent strokes, in children with sickle cell anemia (SCA), according to results from a large, first-of-its-kind study published online today in Blood, the Journal of the American Society of Hematology (ASH). http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-11-silent-factors-children-sickle-cell.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Thu, 17 Nov 2011 14:40:40 EST news240763232 A recent study has found that a childhood behavioral intervention to lower dietary intake of total fat and saturated fat and increase consumption of foods that are good sources of dietary fiber resulted in significantly lower fasting plasma glucose levels and lower systolic blood pressure when study participants were re-evaluated in young adulthood. The study was accepted for publication in The Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism (JCEM). http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-10-childhood-diet-fat-higher-fiber.html Health Thu, 27 Oct 2011 07:59:51 EST news238921178 People with prehypertension have a 55 percent higher risk of experiencing a future stroke than people without prehypertension, report researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine in a new meta-analysis of scientific literature published in the September 28 online issue of the journal Neurology. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-09-blood-pressure-slightly.html Neuroscience Wed, 28 Sep 2011 16:38:57 EST news236446729 A study conducted among cyclists in Copenhagen, Denmark1 showed that it is the relative intensity and not the duration of cycling which is of most importance in relation to all-cause mortality and even more pronounced for coronary heart disease mortality. The study presented today at the ESC Congress 2011, concluded that men with fast intensity cycling survived 5.3 years longer, and men with average intensity 2.9 years longer than men with slow cycling intensity. For women the figures were 3.9 and 2.2 years longer, respectively (see Figures below). The groups were adjusted for differences in age and conventional risk factor levels. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-08-fast-vigorous-daily-longer-life.html Health Mon, 29 Aug 2011 11:49:09 EST news233837331