hypertension tagged posts

Risks associated with low-sodium intake — less than three grams per day — are consistent regardless of a patient’s hypertension status. Credit: © Sebastian Studio / Fotolia

Salt reduction only important in some people with high blood pressure. A large worldwide study has found that, contrary to popular thought, low-salt diets may not be beneficial and may actually increase the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and death compared to average salt consumption. The only people who need to worry about reducing sodium in their diet are those with hypertension and have high salt consumption.

The study, involving more than 130,000 people from 49 countries, was led by investigators of the Population Health Research Institute (PHRI) of McMaster University and Hamilton Health Sciences...

Raymond C. Harris, M.D., left, Ming-Zhi Zhang, M.D., M.Sc., and colleagues are investigating why COX-2 inhibitors cause heart problems in some patients. Credit: Photo by John Russell

It’s been about a decade since the promise of COX-2 inhibitors – drugs that relieve arthritis pain and inflammation without the gastrointestinal side effects of other painkillers – was tempered by the realization that they could cause heart problems in some patients. Now a team of Vanderbilt University Medical Center scientists are closer to understanding why. They have found that production of prostaglandins by macrophages may play a role, especially in the kidney and the skin. Their findings could lead to development of a new, better-targeted class of drugs that relieve pain without causing vascular effects.