High Blood Pressure (hypertension)
Cure or Catastrophe: The Unpredictability of Med…
Physicians who prescribe medications like to believe that their choices are based on evidence. In fact, there is a mantra that most prescribers have embraced: “Evidence Based Medicine,” abbreviate…
Is Chocolate Health Food Now?
Americans have a strong Puritan ethic. They figure that if it hurts or tastes bad it must be good for you–and vice versa. That may partially explain the earnest embrace of prohibitions in our quest …
How Can You Overcome the Harms of Sitting Too Mu…
How many hours a day do you sit? Be honest, please. If you work in front of a computer, as so many of us do, we’ll bet you spend more than eight hours a day sitting. And that doesn’t count time si…
Did Anal Absorption of Prep H Raise BP?
There are lots of ways to get medicine into your body. Swallowing pills is the most obvious route. Injections are also understandable. Topical seems a bit harder for people to comprehend, though. Even…
Misdiagnosed Cough from Hell Makes Life Miserabl…
One of the most prestigious academic medical centers in the US was involved in a study to evaluate diagnostic errors (BMJ Quality & Safety (Oct. 1, 2024). The results were mind boggling. Mistakes …
Seven Mistakes to Avoid When Measuring Blood Pre…
We are exhausted! We have been exhorting health professionals for years to carefully follow guidelines when measuring blood pressure. Despite our ongoing efforts, many visitors to this website tell us…
What Are the Most Common Symptoms of Long COVID?
One of the revelations from the COVID pandemic is that people can suffer debilitating symptoms long after they have recovered from the acute infection. Long COVID affects tens of millions of people wh…
Incredible Beet Health Benefits for Brain and Bl…
Red beets are known officially as Beta vulgaris rubra. Researchers generally refer to this vegetable as beetroot. Although this root vegetable is popular in Europe, it doesn't have a lot of fans in th…
Can You Trust Your Blood Pressure Measurements? …
Visit a doctor's office for almost anything that ails you and the chances are good you will have your blood pressure measured. That's because it is an essential diagnostic procedure to detect hyperten…
Can Low Blood Pressure Raise Dementia Risk in Ol…
Many physicians believe that a good blood pressure (BP) is right around 120/80, regardless of age. Some aggressively prescribe several blood pressure medicines to achieve that goal. There is, however,…
Conflicting Advice About Eggs and Salt Drives Re…
How do you feel about conflicting advice? We hear from many readers that they get confused or frustrated when they get health or nutrition advice that is exactly the opposite of counsel they had been …
Was Your Blood Pressure Measured Incorrectly?
Do you have high blood pressure? There’s a 50% chance that you do. That’s because anything above 120/80 is now considered hypertension. But was your blood pressure measured correctly? It is astoni…
Back Pedaling on Beta Blockers (Atenolol, Metopr…
For decades, American physicians prescribed beta blockers as a primary treatment for high blood pressure. When we checked a few years ago, we discovered that 115 million prescriptions were dispensed f…
How Are Home Tests and Devices Revolutionizing H…
The FDA announced on March 5, 2024 that it approved "...the first over-the-counter (OTC) continuous glucose monitor (CGM)." Many people with type 2 diabetes already use such devices, but they require …
How to Sleep During Anxious Times
This is a terrible time to be an insomniac. Headlines are designed to provoke anxiety or fear. Contentious political clashes and war make the nighttime news distressing. When the days get shorter and …
Finding a Sweet Spot of Sun Exposure for Good He…
For years dermatologists have been telling us that sun exposure is bad for us. Ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun damage the skin and cause premature aging. We are warned that skin cancers, including …
Will New BP and Cholesterol Guidelines Lead to D…
Statin-type cholesterol-lowering drugs are among the most popular medications in the pharmacy. At last count, nearly 30 million Americans are taking atorvastatin alone. Another 20 million are taking o…
Sauna Bathing and Its Health Benefits
Finnish researchers have been studying the health benefits of sauna bathing for years. A study published several years ago in the Mayo Clinic Proceedings reviewed the evidence for cardiovascular and o…
Does Chocolate Really Help Your Heart?
Most people think of chocolate as a sinful indulgence. We may be prepared to pay the price of the extra calories, but we don't expect it to have any health benefits. Might we be wrong, though? Could c…
Beet Juice Was Better Than a Drug for Lowering B…
Some natural products have an impressive ability to affect human physiology. Among these are vegetables naturally high in nitrate, particularly beets (referred to in England as beetroot). Research sho…
Hydrochlorothiazide Side Effects: Skin Cancer an…
The American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology have issued guidelines about hypertension. The experts state that "normal" blood pressure is "Less than 120/80." You have "elevate…
What Do You Really Know About Scary Ibuprofen Si…
Do you read the labels on OTC pain relievers? Be honest now. The last time you purchased Advil, Motrin IB or some house brand ibuprofen pills, did you check out the dosage instructions or the warnings…
Grapefruit Lowers Blood Pressure
Natural products were an essential part of the pharmacopeia until the end of the 20th century. Starting around 1950, scientists valued synthetic medications more than botanical products. Few, if any, …
Which Diuretic is Best for Hypertension? HCTZ or…
When a patient is diagnosed with high blood pressure that is not controlled by diet, exercise or other lifestyle interventions, doctors start writing prescriptions. One of their first-line drugs is al…
Medical Mistakes and Deadly Drug Interactions
No one likes to make mistakes. It is a humbling experience. Even when lives are not at stake, errors can open you up to ridicule or sanctions. That's why many people try to deny or cover up their erro…
Think Zinc for Hypertension
Hpertension is a leading contributor to heart attacks and strokes. But controlling high blood pressure is not always easy. That’s in part because it varies so much over the course of the day. If you…
Hypertension Heresy: Are We Overtreating High Bl…
Prepare for whiplash. What I am about to share with you will confuse you and make your doctor quite anxious. But I feel obligated to share data on high blood pressure that are seemingly contradictory.…
How Can You Use Beets for Better Blood Pressure?
With concerns about contaminated antihypertensive medications, many people are interested in ways to lower their blood pressure without drugs. There is a wide range of options: exercise, weight loss, …
What Are Metoprolol Side Effects When Prescribed…
Metoprolol is one of the most prescribed drugs in the United States. At last count, nearly 90 millions prescriptions were dispensed annually. It has FDA approval to treat high blood pressure and heart…
Can Tylenol – Acetaminophen Raise Blood Pressu…
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are among the most popular drugs in the pharmacy. That’s because there is a lot of pain out there. Whether it’s from headaches, arthritis or backaches…
Will a Potassium Salt Substitute Lower Your Bloo…
When epidemiologists and cardiologists give advice about hypertension, they often recommend that we cut back on salt (Journal of the American College of Cardiology, Oct. 11, 2016). Strict salt restric…
Ibuprofen and High Blood Pressure: A Dangerous R…
Use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) is on the rise (Open Heart, April 28, 2017). We're talking about drugs like ibuprofen and naproxen. Such pain relievers are perceived as quite safe…
Show 1378: Rediscovering the Power of Medicinal …
This week, two guests describe their work with the healing power of medicinal herbs. They draw upon family histories of herbalism along with their own studies of how to use botanical medicines. You ma…
Tai Chi Helps Blood Pressure Control
If blood pressure begins to creep up, a person might be diagnosed with prehypertension. In some cases, the healthcare provider will offer a prescription to lower blood pressure. Other individuals migh…
Salt Substitute Can Cut the Risk of High Blood P…
Americans love salt (and we are not the only ones who do). However, doctors warn us sternly that sodium chloride (aka salt) raises blood pressure. Public health officials frequently advise cutting sal…
Show 1371: America’s Pharmacist Compares N…
This week, we talk with America’s Pharmacist, Suzy Cohen, about the effectiveness of medications and natural healing. Suzy has a multimedia presence in newspapers and on television. Millions of peop…
Should You Be Taking Vitamin Supplements?
Vitamins were among the most exciting discoveries of the early 20th century. Since then, however, doctors have been expressing a lot of skepticism about the value of taking vitamin supplements. Last y…
What Is the Best Time to Eat?
A small study shows that the timing of meals can have a profound impact on blood sugar, insulin secretion and blood pressure. But what is the best time to eat? A reader is concerned that her late-nigh…
Picking a Diet That Lowers Blood Pressure
Are you looking for a diet that lowers blood pressure? Most healthcare practitioners would recommend the DASH diet. The acronym stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. Many studies have sh…
Does Grape Juice Have Heart Healthy Benefits?
Over the years, readers have told us about using grape juice to manage a range of conditions. Some people mix it with plant pectin (Certo) to ease the pain of arthritic joints. Others report it soothe…