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Read More about Treating low vitamin D levels may help people live longer
Treating low vitamin D levels may help people live longer

Treating low vitamin D levels may help people live longer

Treating people who have low levels of vitamin D with supplements may reduce their risk for heart attacks and death from any cause.

Read More about Seasonal changes and blood pressure
Seasonal changes and blood pressure

Seasonal changes and blood pressure

Some people with borderline high blood pressure have higher readings during winter, even high enough to need medicine to control it. In spring or summer, they might be able to reduce the dose or stop taking the medication. Losing excess weight and cutting back on salt also can help.

Read More about Don't fail your heart health
Don't fail your heart health

Don't fail your heart health

The most common type of heart failure in older adults is heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. This is caused by the heart's left ventricle not being able to relax, which means less blood enters the chamber, so less gets pumped out. Prevention and treatments continue to evolve, but include controlling blood pressure, addressing weight gain with exercise and diet, not smoking, and curbing alcohol intake.

Read More about Switching to a salt substitute may reduce stroke risk
Switching to a salt substitute may reduce stroke risk

Switching to a salt substitute may reduce stroke risk
Swapping regular table salt (sodium chloride) with a salt substitute containing some potassium chloride may lower the risk of strokes and related heart problems.
Read More about What to do when your blood pressure won’t go down
What to do when your blood pressure won’t go down

What to do when your blood pressure won’t go down
Doctors recommend several strategies to lower resistant hypertension. One strategy is discontinuing medications that may be contributing to high blood pressure, such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), decongestants, certain antidepressants, and corticosteroids. Another strategy is treating underlying conditions that can boost blood pressure, such as sleep apnea. Other ways to lower stubbornly high blood pressure include getting lots of aerobic exercise, eating a plant-based diet that’s low in salt, getting at least seven hours of sleep per night, limiting alcohol, avoiding smoking, and maintaining a healthy weight.
Read More about Over-the-counter drugs that can boost blood pressure
Over-the-counter drugs that can boost blood pressure

Over-the-counter drugs that can boost blood pressure
People with high blood pressure should avoid certain popular over-the-counter drugs used to treat cold and flu symptoms and pain. The problematic products are those that contain decongestants such as oxymetazoline, pseudoephedrine, and phenylephrine; and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen and naproxen sodium. Because drugstores contain an overwhelming number of products that feature those drugs, people should ask their pharmacist to recommend a product.
Read More about Aerobic exercise helps hard-to-treat high blood pressure
Aerobic exercise helps hard-to-treat high blood pressure

Aerobic exercise helps hard-to-treat high blood pressure
Regular aerobic exercise such as walking and cycling may help people with resistant hypertension lower their blood pressure.
Read More about Breathing your way to better health
Breathing your way to better health

Breathing your way to better health
Taking time out of a stressful day to perform simple breathing exercises can reduce chronic stress and prevent the harm it can inflict on the body. Even a few short breathing sessions can make a big difference for many people. Chronic stress, when it goes unchecked, can lead to a host of health problems, including high blood pressure, obesity, anxiety, depression, and reduced immune response.
Read More about Some blood pressure drugs are linked with better memory
Some blood pressure drugs are linked with better memory

Some blood pressure drugs are linked with better memory
A 2021 analysis found that adults ages 50 and older who took an ACE inhibitor such as lisinopril or an ARB like candesartan that crosses the blood-brain barrier scored higher on memory recall tests after three years on the medication, when compared with those who took a different drug in the same class that doesn’t cross over.
Read More about Looking past blood pressure numbers
Looking past blood pressure numbers

Looking past blood pressure numbers
For decades, blood pressure treatment was dictated by a person’s numbers, with a blood pressure less than 140/90 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg) considered normal. But evidence has proved this to be an inadequate goal. Research now suggests an individualized approach to managing blood pressure that considers other heart health risks, lifestyle habits, and family history may be a better way to ward off heart attacks and strokes.
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