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In a nutshell Potassium can lower blood pressure, even on a salty diet. Simulations showed that increasing potassium intake significantly reduced blood pressure, even when sodium levels stayed high, with drops of up to 14 mmHg in men and 10 mmHg in women. Men and women respond differently to potassium. The models revealed that female kidneys handle sodium differently, offering natural protection against high blood pressure, while men showed a stronger blood pressure response to dietary potassium. Balancing potassium and sodium may matter more than cutting salt alone. The study suggests that boosting potassium-rich foods like leafy greens, beans, and...

April 14 - BP (BP.L), opens new tab has made an oil discovery at the Far South field in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, it said on Monday, as the energy major seeks to grow production under a strategy reset announced earlier this year. The exploration well was drilled in Green Canyon Block 584 about 120 miles (193.12 km) off the coast of Louisiana. Both the initial well and a sidetrack encountered oil. Preliminary data indicates a potentially commercial volume of oil and gas, the company said in a statement. It also said it plans to increase output in the...

Researchers have found that intensive blood pressure (BP) control produces cardiovascular benefits and increases the risk of adverse events in people with chronic kidney disease (CKD). This approach was initially studied in the Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial (SPRINT), a randomized trial with over 9,000 participants. The intervention demonstrated reduced cardiovascular events, mortality, and reduced rates of mild cognitive impairment. Intensive BP control consisted of treatment with antihypertensive medications to maintain a systolic BP below 120 mm Hg, as opposed to <140 mm Hg, the standard target at the time. The study included 85,938 VHA patients (75.7 years, 95% male)...

Humans and mice exposed to long-wavelength red light had lower rates of blood clots that can cause heart attacks, lung damage and strokes, according to research led by surgeon-scientists. The team exposed mice to 12 hours of either red, blue or white light, followed by 12 hours of darkness, in a 72-hour cycle. They then looked for differences in blood clots between the groups. The mice exposed to red light had nearly five times fewer clots than the mice exposed to blue or white light. Activity, sleep, eating, weight and body temperature remained the same between the groups. The team...

If you or I lived rent free for five years in an apartment in pricey Washington, DC, we would have to pay income taxes on the value of the rent on the place. But apparently not Rahm Emanuel. The wonderful Andrew Malcolm of the LA Times writes: We already knew that BP and its folks were significant contributors to the record $750-million war chest of Barack Obama's 2007-08 campaign. Now, we learn the details of a connection of Rahm Emanuel, the Chicago mayoral wannabe, current Obama chief of staff, ex-representative, ex-Clinton money man and ex-Windy City political machine go-fer. Shortly...

For children, longer sleep duration and earlier sleep onset are associated with lower blood pressure, according to a study. Amy J. Kogon, M.D. and colleagues conducted a retrospective study of initial ambulatory blood pressure monitoring data and self-report sleep data collected from patients referred to a pediatric nephrology clinic for evaluation of elevated blood pressure. Associations between sleep exposures and continuous and dichotomous blood pressure outcomes were examined. The sample included 539 patients (mean age, 14.6 years), of whom 56 percent met the criteria for hypertension. The average sleep duration was 9.1 hours per night, and the average timing of...

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While reducing salt intake has been the focus of dietary advice to control high blood pressure (hypertension), a study suggests that upping your potassium intake can be at least as important. Researchers analyzed data from The George Institute's large-scale randomized trial, the Salt Substitute and Stroke Study (SSaSS), which involved 20,995 participants followed for five years. The study showed clear reductions in the risk of stroke (14%), major cardiovascular events (13%) and premature death (12%) from switching regular salt for potassium-enriched salt. The researchers based their analyses on the "gold standard" measure of sodium and potassium in the urine of...

On February 11, pro-Palestinian protestors recently staged a sit-in at the British Museum over its 10-year deal with BP. Last December, the museum announced a £50 million ($63.3 million) sponsorship deal with BP, funding that is used for the refurbishment and redisplay of the museum’s permanent collection over a 10-year span. Trustees of the board raised ethical and safety concerns behind the scenes about the deal, citing conflicts of interest involving board chair George Osborne and two other board members with connections to BP. Related Articles A woman wearing a white t-shirt with the hand-written words Riposte Alimentaire stands with...

As far as I’m concerned, this New Year is off to a resounding start, with the wind industry and Green cabal already taking a pounding right out of the proverbial gate. Yesterday’s late good news is so, SO schweet. Another huge blow for renewable energy to fight climate change: BP and Equinor have scrapped a massive offshore wind power project off New York's Long Island. Empire Wind 2 can't go forward b/c of cost increases. The whales win again!

Researchers have found that the drug rilmenidine can extend lifespan and slow aging. The findings show that animals treated with rilmenidine, currently used to treat hypertension, at young and older ages increases lifespan and improves health markers, mimicking the effects of caloric restriction. They also demonstrate that the healthspan and lifespan benefits of rilmenidine treatment in the roundworm C. elegans are mediated by the I1-imidazoline receptor nish-1, identifying this receptor as a potential longevity target. Unlike other drugs previously studied for this purpose by the researchers, the widely-prescribed, oral antihypertensive rilmenidine has potential for future translatability to humans as side-effects...

Diastolic blood pressure—the lower of the two numbers in a blood pressure reading—is highly likely to cause neurotic personality trait, finds research. And keeping it under control can help curb neurotic behaviors, anxiety, and heart and circulatory diseases, conclude the researchers. High blood pressure is a major risk for cardiovascular disease and thought to be associated with psychological factors, such as anxiety, depression, and neuroticism—a personality trait characterized by susceptibility to negative emotions, including anxiety and depression. But which causes which isn't entirely clear. In a bid to find out, the researchers used a technique called Mendelian randomization. This uses...

A gas station owner in Wisconsin is being punished by oil and gas giant British Petroleum after telling staff not to remove Biden "I did that" stickers, which have become a nationwide phenomenon. Customers across the country are criticizing President Joe Biden for the skyrocketing increase in gas prices, but BP appears to be taking extra measures to prevent customers from comically expressing their frustrations.

A team of researchers has found via a three-year trial that the SPYRAL HTN-ON MED renal denervation procedure reduced the blood pressure of volunteers in the trial. High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is regular elevated blood pressure in the arteries. People with hypertension are at increased risk for strokes, vision loss, dementia and coronary artery disease. For that reason, patients are administered drugs to reduce their blood pressure. Unfortunately, these medications do not work for some patients, and medical scientists seek other ways to lower blood pressure. One technique is called renal denervation, where the nerves in blood...

Some oral bacteria linked with hypertension in older women according to a new study in the Journal of the American Heart Association. In a study of more than 1,200 women in the U.S., average age 63 years, 10 kinds of oral bacteria were associated with a higher risk of developing high blood pressure, while five strains of bacteria were linked with lower hypertension risk. The observational study cannot prove cause and effect; however, the findings highlight possible opportunities to enhance hypertension prevention through targeted oral care, researchers said. Some oral bacteria were associated with the development of hypertension, also known...

BP's decision to abandon its stake in oil giant Rosneft is the first high-profile example of the self-sanctioning by companies of their business links to Russia, a process likely to have major short- and long-term implications for energy markets. BP's dramatic exit of its 19.75% share of Rosneft could cost the London-listed oil major as much as $25 billion, a hefty price to pay in order to be seen to be doing the right thing in response to Russia's invasion of neighboring Ukraine. "I have been deeply shocked and saddened by the situation unfolding in Ukraine and my heart goes...

Long-term paracetamol use could increase the risk of heart disease and strokes in people with high blood pressure, a study suggests. Patients who have a long-term prescription for the painkiller, usually used for the treatment of chronic pain, should opt for the lowest effective dose for the shortest possible time, researchers say. Paracetamol was often suggested as a safer alternative to another class of painkillers called non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), which are known to increase blood pressure and risk of heart disease. In the latest study, 110 patients with a history of high blood pressure were prescribed one gram of...

Researchers at the University of Missouri are customizing a commercial finger clip device to provide a rapid, noninvasive way for measuring and continually monitoring blood pressure. Credit: University of Missouri ======================================================================== Monitoring a person's blood pressure on a regular basis can help health care professionals with early detection of various health problems such as high blood pressure, which has no warning signs or symptoms. However, many things can alter an accurate blood pressure reading, including a patient's nervousness about having their blood pressure taken at a doctor's office, otherwise known as "white coat syndrome." Now, researchers at the University of...

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) on Monday released new guidelines for the treatment of pregnant, postpartum, breastfeeding and infant detainees, following a July report detailing the agency's lack of appropriate care infrastructure and guidelines. In a policy memo reviewed by The Hill, CBP acting Commissioner Troy Miller laid out a series of measures — from improving CBP installations to include changing stations to providing medical support — that field offices and Border Patrol stations will have to implement within 45 days.... ...ICE's new policy prohibits the detention of most pregnant, postpartum and nursing mothers for deportation....

The Biden administration on Friday said it would make another attempt to end the "Remain in Mexico" protocols, a Trump administration initiative that forced tens of thousands of asylum seekers back into Mexican border towns to await their court dates in the U.S. In a briefing before the announcement, Department of Homeland Security officials told reporters they had reassessed the policy, also known as the Migrant Protection Protocols, and Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas once again determined it was appropriate to end it despite acknowledging its impact in reducing unauthorized migration.... ...Embedded in the district court's order to reinstate was a suggestion...