Prescribed Medication for Hypertension = Longer Life

There are at least 970 Million people who have hypertension, according to World Heart Federation. Researchers at UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School have made a study and shown that the use of antihypertensive drug therapy contributes to longer life expectancy of the patient. 


"Nearly 22 years after the initiation of the SHEP (Systolic Hypertension ing the Elderly Program) trial, we can confirm the legacy effect of treating hypertension, particularly in the elderly. We report that the average patient would live one day longer for each month of treatment. This may correspond to more than a year for people who start treatment in their fifties," said John B. Kostis, MD, the John G. Detwiler Chair of Cardiology, chair of the department of medicine, and founding director of The Cardiovascular Institute of New Jersey, who led the study. "Physicians may wish to use these data to encourage their patients to be compliant with prescribed treatment, as control of hypertension increases life expectancy; reduces the risk of stroke, heart failure and heart attack; and improves their overall quality of life and allows patients to work for a longer period of time."
-According to the study that was published on Journal of the American Medical Association


SHEP lasted from 1985 to 1990,  they made an assesment on how risk of stroke be reduced thru antihypertensive drug treatment. 4,700 participants were gathered with an average age of 72, all of them had isolated systolic hypertension. Every participant was randomized to either the treatment group, which received chlorthalidone-based therapy, or to the placebo group. 
The study showed that chlorthalidone-based therapy for hypertension resulted in the prevention of about one out of two admissions for heart failure, one out of three fatal or non-fatal strokes and one out of four coronary heart disease events, but there were no significant differences in mortality. At the end of the trial, all participants in both groups were advised to receive treatment for hypertension.




In the last research, the team collected data of mortality and cause of death of all the participants in December 2006.  and the researchers found out that the length in time that patients survived without experiencing a cardiovascular-related death was  longer than the group that received chlorthalidone treatment approximately one day for every month of treatment.


Because of the average age of the trial group and the significance of competing causes of death, such as cancer, in that group, the researchers also analyzed in life expectancy for all-cause mortality, which resulted in a gain of one-half day for each month of antihypertensive treatment in the treatment group over the placebo group.


In addition to its clinical benefits , treatment of hypertension resulting in longer survival may yield important benefits, such as allowing a person to work for a longer period of time, thereby increasing their income earning potential. Treatment of hypertension also may provide a cost savings due to a reduced need for invasive cardiovascular and emergency procedures.

Eating Lean Beef can help lower Cholesterol

High cholesterol can lead to Hypertension, it can also lead to stroke, heart attack, heart failure or premature death. Researchers made a new study and  was published in the January 2012 edition of American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showing that beef can help in lowering our cholesterol level, it also proved that diets including lean beef every day are as effective in lowering total and LDL "bad"cholesterol as the "gold standard" of heart-healthy diets (DASH, Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension). 

The Beef in an Optimal Lean Diet (BOLD) clinical study (Effects on Lipids, Lipoproteins and Apolipoproteins),1 conducted by The Pennsylvania State University (PSU) researchers, evaluated adults with moderately elevated cholesterol levels, measuring the impact of diets including varying amounts of lean beef on total and LDL cholesterol levels. Study participants experienced a 10 percent decrease in LDL cholesterol from the start of the study, while consuming diets containing 4.0 and 5.4 oz. of lean beef daily. 


"This research sheds new light on evidence supporting lean beef's role in a heart-healthy diet. Study participants ate lean beef every day and still met targets for saturated fat intake," says Penny Kris-Etherton, PhD, RD, distinguished professor of nutrition at PSU and the study's principal investigator. "This study shows that nutrient-rich lean beef can be included as part of a heart-healthy diet that improves risk factors for cardiovascular disease." 

"This research adds to the body of evidence concluding that you can include beef in your diet every day and get heart-health benefits," says Shalene McNeill, PhD, RD, executive director, human nutrition research for the National Cattlemen's Beef Association, which contracts to manage programs for the beef checkoff. "Americans now have more scientific evidence for including lean beef in a heart-healthy diet." 


Most popular beef cuts, like Top Sirloin steak, Tenderloin, T-Bone steak and 95% lean Ground Beef meet government guidelines for lean. And sixty-five percent of all beef muscle cuts available in grocery stores are lean.3,4 On average, a 3 oz. serving of lean beef is about 150 calories, an excellent source of protein, zinc, vitamin B12, vitamin B6, niacin and selenium.and it is also good source of nutrients like phosphorous, choline, iron and riboflavin. 

Risk factors for High Blood Pressure?

You can still develop hypertension with or without any of the risk factor related below. However, the more risk factor you have, the higher the possibility of developing hypertension.

Some of the risk factors of hypertension are:

- Lifestyle

• Alcohol intake -  Heavy drinkers are more prone to suffer hypertension. Alcohol contains calories, consuming it causes an increase in weight. This increase the pressure in the arteries and in the heart causing a rise in the blood pressure.
• Smoking - causes injuries on the blood vessel walls and speeds up the process of hardening of the arteries (Atherosclerosis).
• Excessive sodium intake
• Lack of exercise
• Stress

- Medical Conditions

- Certain Medications

- Age

- Gender

- Genetic Factors

- Race

How to measure your blood pressure correctly

It is best to monitor your blood pressure regularly

Hypertension Management

Hypertension:  A medical condition in which blood pressure is consistently above the normal range. It is often called the silent killer because in it's initial stages, it presents with no symptoms. It is only after an organ in the body is irritated or damaged, that the consequences of high blood pressure are realized. 


Blood pressure measurement is listed with two numbers. The normal values should be less than 130/80, with 120 being the systolic blood pressure (when the heart is pushing blood through the arterial system); and 80 being the diastolic blood pressure (when the arteries are at rest and the heart is refilling with blood).

Why is it DANGEROUS?

High blood pressure has the ability to do serious damage to your internal organs. An elevation of the systolic and/or diastolic blood pressure increases the risk of developing heart disease, kidney disease, hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis or arteriosclerosis), eye damage, and stroke (brain damage) the diagnosis of high blood pressure is important so efforts can be made to normalize blood pressure and prevent complications.

How can you PREVENT it?

• Follow a Healthy Eating Pattern
• Reduce Salt or Sodium in your Diet
• Exercise Regularly
• Maintain a Healthy Weight
• Limit Alcohol Intake
• Quit Smoking