We all know that high blood pressure is bad for us. But what about low blood pressure?
The question is important because blood pressure guidelines have changed in recent years.
It used to be that doctors routinely prescribed hypertension drugs to patients whose systolic (upper number) reading was greater than 140. Now the recommendation has dropped to 130. This means far more people are candidates for blood pressure drugs.… Read More
If you go to the doctor and your blood pressure is high, two things are likely to happen…
First, your physician will tell you to cut down on salt.
Second, you’ll be handed a prescription for a hypertension drug.
But a new study finds that your doctor should talk to you about stopping what could be the root cause of your high blood pressure. … Read More
You’ve probably seen the recent headlines about how low-dose aspirin is no longer recommended for people who haven’t had a heart attack.i
This is a big change. For decades, doctors routinely told older patients to take daily aspirin if they had any heart risk factors.
Now the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force says the risk of bleeding caused by aspirin outweighs the heart benefit for people who haven’t had a heart attack.… Read More
If you’re prone to depression, the holidays can be the worst of times.
The stress of travel and seeing relatives can be overwhelming.
And if you’re susceptible to seasonal affective disorder, lack of sunlight can also be a factor in causing mood issues this time of year.
Sixty-four percent of people with depression report that the holidays make their condition worse.… Read More
You go into the hospital for one reason…
To get better.
But an alarming study shows that many seniors are coming out in worse shape than when they went in.
The reason?
Doctors are sending them home with an overdose of blood pressure medications.
A University of California study revealed this troubling trend.i
Researchers looked at the records of almost 15,000 patients admitted to a Veteran’s Affairs hospital.… Read More
There is no shortage of drugs to treat high blood pressure.
No fewer than 14 different classes of medications have been approved for hypertension. And within those classes are more than 110 drugs.i
So why would any doctor advise you to take one that not only works poorly, but also raises your risk for the deadliest type of cancer?
Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer death in the United States.… Read More