High Blood Pressure


Salt Substitutes Beneficial and Generalizable

A meta-analyses and metaregressions concluded that the beneficial effects of salt substitutes on blood pressure and clinical outcomes were consistent and might be generalizable across diverse population subgroups worldwide. The study included 21 trials and 31 949 participants, with 19 reporting effects on blood pressure and 5 reporting effects on […]


Dose‐Response of Omega‐3 Fatty Acids for Lowering BP

A dose‐response meta‐analysis suggested that the optimal combined intake of omega‐3 fatty acids for blood pressure (BP) lowering is likely between 2 g/d and 3 g/d. Doses above 3 g/d may be associated with additional benefits in lowering BP among high risk groups for cardiovascular diseases. The analysis included 71 randomized controlled trials […]


Treatment for Mild Chronic Hypertension during Pregnancy Beneficial

A US open-label, multicenter, randomized trial concluded that in pregnant women with mild chronic high blood pressure (BP), a strategy of targeting BP<140/90 mm Hg was associated with better pregnancy outcomes than a strategy of reserving treatment only for severe high BP, with no increase in the risk of small-for-gestational-age […]


Acetaminophen Increases BP

A double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover trial concluded that regular daily intake of 4 g acetaminophen increases systolic blood pressure (BP) in individuals with hypertension by ≈5 mm Hg when compared with placebo. The trial randomized 110 patients of high BP to receive 1 g acetaminophen 4× daily or matched placebo for 2 […]


Certain BP Medications May Prevent Dementia

A secondary analysis of a randomized blood pressure (BP) intervention trial suggested that certain BP medications could be used to prevent the development of cognitive decline. The analysis (April 2011 to July 2018) included 8685 patients of high BP 50 years or older with increased cardiovascular risk but without a […]


Intensive BP Control Beneficial in Chinese Population

A Chinese multicenter, randomized, controlled trial concluded that intensive treatment with a systolic blood-pressure (SBP) target of 110 to less than 130 mm Hg resulted in a lower incidence of cardiovascular events than standard treatment with a target of 130 to less than 150 mm Hg. Of the 8511 hypertensive […]


ARBs May Be Safer Than ACE Inhibitors

A retrospective, new-user comparative cohort study revealed that angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) do not differ statistically significantly in effectiveness at the class level compared with ACE (angiotensin-converting enzyme) inhibitors as first-line treatment for high blood pressure but present a better safety profile. The study included all patients with high blood […]


Medication May Be Offered for Mild High Blood Pressure

Both a scientific statement from the American Heart Association and an individual participant-level data meta-analysis support that pharmacological blood pressure (BP) lowering is effective for primary and secondary prevention of major cardiovascular disease (CVD), even at BP levels currently not considered for treatment. The statement provides evidence suggesting that in […]


Personalized Exercise Prescription for High Blood Pressure

The European Association of Preventive Cardiology (EAPC) and the ESC Council on Hypertension have proposed that type of exercise can be prescribed according to initial blood pressure (BP) level to optimize lifestyle interventions for the prevention and treatment of high BP.  A systematic review of meta-analyses was performed to determine […]


Conservative Management Safer for Inpatient High BP

A US cohort study suggested that in the absence of evidence of end-organ damage, conservative management of inpatient high blood pressure (BP) was associated with improved outcomes compared with more intensive management. The study included 22 834 adults hospitalized for noncardiovascular diagnoses from January 1 to December 31, 2017 (mean age, […]