Tag Archives: blood pressure

Red wine molecule causes a drop in blood pressure

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A new treatment for high blood pressure could be on the horizon after British Heart Foundation-funded scientists today revealed how a molecule found in red wine causes drops in blood pressure. The study, published in the journal Circulation, sheds light on how the compound could help scientists combat heart and circulatory diseases.

Resveratrol is a compound produced by the skins of certain fruits in self defence against insects, bacteria and fungi. It is best known for its presence in grapes and red wine. The compound has been touted as an elixir capable of combating several diseases including cancer, dementia and heart and circulatory diseases. However, despite exciting findings of benefits in cell and animal studies, so far scientists have been mostly unable to effectively translate these findings into treatments for human disease. In addition, the exact mechanisms behind resveratrol’s effects have not been understood.

Researchers from King’s College London gave mice with induced high blood pressure 320mg/kg of resveratrol in their diet for 15 days. The blood pressure of mice fed resveratrol in their diet dropped by around 20mmHg compared to mice fed a normal diet.

The researchers showed that resveratrol caused the blood vessels of the mice to relax, and blood pressure to drop, by oxidising a protein called PKG1a in the blood vessel wall. They then showed that resveratrol works in the same way in smooth muscle cells from human blood vessels.

According to the researchers, no current blood pressure lowering medications target this pathway and the findings could lead to the development of new drugs. The findings have also revealed that resveratrol, previously labelled an antioxidant, acts as an oxidant to lower blood pressure.

The team have suggested that the blood-pressure lowering effects of resveratrol might actually be amplified in people with heart and circulatory disease. In order to oxidise PKG1a, resveratrol has to be activated by free radicals first, which are found at higher concentrations in heart patients.

The findings do not mean the public should start drinking more red wine. For a human to consume the same doses of resveratrol used in the study, they would need to drink around 1,000 bottles of red wine a day. The researchers explain that such high doses of resveratrol were needed because in its current form resveratrol does not dissolve well and is broken down by the body before it can reach its target in the blood vessel wall.

Future drug developments may rely on altering the chemical structure of resveratrol to make it easier to dissolve and more resistant to breakdown, to ensure more of the compound reaches the target cells. Scientists may also develop entirely new drugs, which mimic the effects of resveratrol.

Dr Joseph Burgoyne, Senior Lecturer in Cardiovascular Sciences at King’s College London who led the study said:

“We’re slowly realising that oxidants aren’t always the villain. Our research shows that a molecule once deemed an antioxidant exerts its beneficial effects through oxidation. We think that many other so-called ‘antioxidants’ might also work in this way.

“Our work could lay the foundations for chemically altering resveratrol to improve its delivery to the body, or designing new, more potent drugs which use the same pathway. In the future, we could have a whole new class of blood pressure drugs.”

Professor Metin Avkiran, Associate Medical Director at the British Heart Foundation said:

“Unfortunately, this isn’t the all clear to open a bottle of merlot. To get the human equivalent dose of resveratrol used here, you’d need to drink an impossible amount of red wine every day.

“This study reveals the surprising way in which resveratrol works and opens up the possibility of new blood pressure drugs which work in a similar way. The findings bring us a step closer to tackling this ‘silent killer’ which puts people at risk of having a devastating stroke or heart attack.
“Although you can buy resveratrol supplements, the best way to keep your blood pressure under control is through a healthy lifestyle, a balanced diet and taking any medicines prescribed by your doctor.”

Background facts:

There are around 14.4 million adults in the UK with high blood pressure, with an estimated 6-8 million who are undiagnosed or uncontrolled. High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a major risk factor for heart and circulatory diseases including strokes and heart attacks.

It’s thought that significant numbers of people who are prescribed medications for high blood pressure do not take them.

During May Measurement Month, the BHF is encouraging the public to get to know their numbers. A normal blood pressure is less than 140/90mmHg. For more information, please visit our website.

To request interviews or for more information please contact the BHF press office by emailing newsdesk@bhf.org.uk or calling 020 7554 0164. (07764 290 381 – out of hours).

About the British Heart Foundation:

One in four of us in the UK and one in three globally die from heart and circulatory diseases. That’s why the British Heart Foundation funds world‐leading research into their causes, prevention, treatment and cure. Advances from our research have saved and improved millions of lives, but heart diseases, stroke, vascular dementia and their risk factors such as diabetes still cause heartbreak on every street. With the public’s support, our funding will drive the new discoveries to end that heartbreak. Find out more at bhf.org.uk

Alcohol causes weight gain and high blood pressure, with no benefit to heart, claims new study

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Reducing consumption, even among light drinkers, can improve heart health, reduce body mass index, and bring down blood pressure.

According to a large new international study, even moderate drinking may not be good for the heart.
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The study defines light to moderate drinking as consuming 0.6 to 0.8 fluid ounces of alcohol a day, or 17 to 23 ml, which is roughly what a 175 ml glass of wine contains.

The 155 researchers – from the UK, continental Europe, North America, and Australia – analysed data about links between drinking habits and heart health from 56 epidemiological studies covering more than 260,000 people of European descent.

They found that people with a particular gene consumed 17% less alcohol per week, were less likely to binge drink, and were more likely to abstain from alcohol altogether, than non- carriers.

These lower alcohol consumers typically had a 10% average reduced risk of coronary heart disease, lower blood pressure and a lower body mass index (BMI).

The researchers conclude that reducing alcohol consumption across all levels of consumption – even light to moderate drinking – is beneficial for heart health.

Co-author Michael Holmes, a research assistant professor in the University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine’s department of Transplant Surgery, says, “Contrary to what earlier reports have shown, it now appears that any exposure to alcohol has a negative impact upon heart health.”

He added that observational studies have suggested only heavy drinking is bad for the heart, and that light drinking might even provide some benefit, and this has led some people to believe moderate consumption is good for their health, even lowering their risk of heart disease.

“However, what we’re seeing with this new study, which uses an investigative approach similar to a randomized clinical trial, is that reduced consumption of alcohol, even for light-to-moderate drinkers, may lead to improved cardiovascular health,” says Prof. Holmes.

The study, funded by the British Heart Foundation and the UK’s Medical Research Council, examined the heart health of people who carry a particular version of the gene “alcohol dehydrogenase 1B” which is a protein that helps to break down alcohol more quickly than in non-carriers.

The rapid breakdown causes nausea, facial flushing, and other symptoms, and is linked to lower levels of alcohol consumption over time.
The team used the gene as an indicator of lower alcohol consumption, and from there found the links between lower consumption and improved heart health.

Why Vitamin C supplements help lower blood pressure

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Baltimore:  Vitamin C has been revealed as the latest dietary nutrient that can help lower blood pressure in ageing adults, according to scientists.
In a review published online in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers from Johns Hopkins in Baltimore report a reduction in systolic and diastolic blood pressure in associated with vitamin C supplementation.
For their analysis, scientific researcher Edgar R. Miller III and his colleagues selected 29 randomized clinical trials conducted between 1996 and 2011 that involved the oral administration of vitamin C for at least two weeks.
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Average pretreatment systolic blood pressure ranged from 117 to 175 mmHg, and diastolic from 73 to 97 mmHg. The dose of vitamin C used in the studies varied from 60 to 4000 milligrams per day, with a median dose of 500 milligrams daily.
In a pooled analysis of the trials’ participants, vitamin C supplementation was associated with a 3.84 mmHg reduction in systolic blood pressure and a 1.48 mmHg reduction in diastolic pressure. 
When trials involving patients with hypertension were analyzed, reductions averaged 4.85 mmHg and 1.67 mmHg. Mechanisms posited for vitamin C in reducing blood pressure include an increase in a cofactor for endothelial nitric oxide synthase (which increases the production of nitric oxide), and improvement of endothelial function of brachial and coronary arteries.
Announcing their results the authors commented: “This meta-analysis is the first quantitative review of randomized trials evaluating the effect of vitamin C supplementation on blood pressure.
“In short-term trials, vitamin C supplementation reduced systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure. Long-term trials on the effects of vitamin C supplementation on blood pressure and clinical events are needed.”
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US elderly have better mental function than those in UK

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US elder have better cognitive function compared to their counterparts of the same age in the UK, according to a joint UK-US study.

The researchers said that mental function of the US elder was better despite the greater incidence of cardiovascular disease risk factors, which was managed better in the US with drugs.

They said: “Cognitive function is a key determinant of independence and quality of life among older adults. Compared to adults in England, US adults have a greater prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors and disease that may lead to poorer cognitive function.

“We compared cognitive performance of older adults in the US and England, and sought to identify sociodemographic and medical factors associated with differences in cognitive function between the two countries.”

The esearcher was carried out at Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Cambridge, Cambridge,UK; Epidemiology and Public Health, Peninsula Medical School, Exeter, UK; Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA Department of Epidemiology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA and the Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.

They studied 13,566 ethnic white individuals over the age of 60, beginning in 2002.

They found that adults in the UK were economically poorer and suffered more from depression than the US adults, where more money is spent on healthcare and also managing symptoms associated with impaired cognitive function, such as high-blood pressure, with drugs. US adults were also better educated.

The researchers concluded: “We found that despite a higher prevalence of cardiovascular risks and cardiovascular disease among older US adults, they performed significantly better than their English counterparts on tests of memory, suggesting an advantage in cognitive health in the United States.

“While we were unable to confidently identify thecause or causes of this US advantage, higher levels of education and wealth, lower levels of depressive symptoms, and more aggressive treatment of cardiovascular risks
such as hypertension, may be important contributing factors. Given the growing number of older adults worldwide, future cross-national studies aimed at identifying the medical and social factors that might prevent or delay cognitive decline in older adultswould make important and valuable contributions to public health.

Read the full study at Full Paper

Blood pressure drug increases longevity in elderly

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London: An international trial looking at the benefits of giving blood-pressure lowering medication to elderly patients has stopped early, after researchers observed significant reductions in overall mortality in those receiving treatment.

The 3,845 patient Hypertension in the Very Elderly Trial (HYVET) is the largest ever clinical trial to look at the effects of lowering blood pressure solely in those aged 80 and over. Preliminary results of the trial, which is coordinated by scientists from Imperial College London, suggest that lowering blood pressure significantly reduces both stroke and mortality in the over-80s.

A number of earlier trials had demonstrated that reducing blood pressure in the under-80s reduces stroke and cardiovascular events. However, previous smaller and inconclusive studies also suggested that whilst lowering blood pressure in those aged 80 or over reduced the number of strokes, it did not reduce, and even increased, total mortality.

Patients with high blood pressure from across the world were randomised for the double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, which began in 2001. Patients were given either the placebo or a low dose diuretic (indapamide 1.5mg SR), and an additional ACE inhibitor (perindopril), in tablet form once a day.

Emeritus Professor Chris Bulpitt, HYVET Principal Investigator from the Care of the Elderly Department at Imperial College London, said: “It was not clear prior to our study whether the over-80s would benefit from blood pressure lowering medication in the same way as younger people.

Our results are great news for people in this age group because they suggest that where they have high blood pressure, such treatment can cut their chances of dying as well as stroke.”

The Steering Committee of HYVET accepted on 12th July 2007 the recommendation of its Data Safety Monitoring Board that the trial should be stopped.

Definitive figures will not be available until all the data has been collected. Results will then be published in the peer reviewed scientific press.

Over the next few months all HYVET patients will be seen for a final visit, where all patients on trial medication will be offered the option of switching to active indapamide 1.5 mg SR based antihypertensive treatment. Prior to their final visit, all patients are advised to stay on their existing drugs until they see their trial physician.

HYVET was co-ordinated by scientists from Imperial College London, working with colleagues around the world. The main trial was funded by both the British Heart Foundation and by the Institut de Recherches Internationales Servier.

1. About stroke and high blood pressure

* Stroke is the third most common cause of death in the England and Wales. In 2004, 11% of deaths amongst those aged 75-84, and 14% of deaths amongst those aged over 85 were due to stroke, according to the Office of National Statistics.

* In the UK about 150,000 people suffer a stroke each year, the equivalent of 1 every 4 minutes.

* About one third of stroke patients die within 6 months of the event, the majority occurring in the first month.

* Disability after stroke is the most important single cause of severe disability of people living in their own homes.

* There are 2 types of stroke:

a. Haemorrhagic – caused by blood leaking into brain tissue from a
blood vessel within the brain
b. Ischeamic – caused by a clot occluding a blood vessel, resulting in
loss of blood supply to a part of the brain and subsequent damage to brain tissue.

High blood pressure increases the chance of both a blood vessel leaking or rupturing, and of a clot forming within a blood vessel. High blood pressure increases the likelihood of damage to the lining of the blood vessel, which in turn leads to an increased chance of spontaneous clot formation within the blood vessel.

* The over 80s are the fastest growing group in the population worldwide – in the UK currently they account for 4% of the total population and this is expected to rise to over 11% by 2050.

* The risk of stroke increases with age, with some estimates suggesting that the risk doubles every decade after a person reaches 55 years of age

* In the UK approximately 4% of the total National Health Service budget is spent on stroke services each year.

Sleep helps lower blood pressure

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New York: Older people who have less than five hours sleep increase their risk of high blood pressure, according too new research from Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health.

The new study, published in the journal of Hypertension, began by investigating 5,000 people with normal blood pressure. Over the next decade researchers noted their sleeping patterns and blood pressure. They fuond that 24 per cent of those aged between 32 and 59 who had five hours or less sleep each night developed high blood pressure. It was concluded that they faced double the risk of getting the condition compared to those who have the recommended eight hours because the heart has to work harder.

Only 12 per cent of those who had seven or eight hours of sleep each night had the condition.

Lead researcher James E Gangwisch said that sleep allowed the heart to slow down and therefore blood pressure to drop and that there was a clear messsage about getting a good night’s sleep.