REVOLUTIONARY DEVICE FOUND TO LOWER BLOOD PRESSURE

A revolutionary device has been shown to significantly lower blood pressure among patients with uncontrolled high blood pressure, compared to those treated with usual drug measures -- according to research from Queen Mary University of London and published in The Lancet.

 The device -- developed by ROX Medical and named the 'Coupler' -- is a paper clip sized implant which is inserted between the artery and vein in the upper thigh, in a procedure lasting around 40 minutes under local anaesthetic.

Researchers led a randomised, blinded endpoint clinical trial with patients from multiple European Centres of Hypertension Excellence -- including the Barts Blood Pressure Clinic at Barts Health NHS Trust in east London -- all of whom had resistant high blood pressure and had not responded to at least three types of drug treatment.

The team compared the effects of the Coupler versus usual medical treatment in 83 patients of whom 44 received the ROX Coupler therapy. Patients who received the Coupler experienced a significant and durable reduction in blood pressure. There was also a reduced number of hypertensive complications and hospital admissions for high blood pressure crises.

The Coupler also worked well among patients who had failed to respond to renal denervation (another new approach to treating high blood pressure), suggesting the Coupler targets different mechanisms of blood pressure control. However, patients who had not previously been treated with renal denervation experienced the same level or more of blood pressure reduction. In addition, unlike renal denervation, this new device-based treatment is fully reversible, immediate and pain-free.

Dr Melvin Lobo, Lead Author and Principal Investigator of the study at Queen Mary University of London, and Director of the Barts Blood Pressure Clinic at Barts Health NHS Trust, comments: "This is an entirely new and highly promising concept in high blood pressure treatment. Existing drugs focus on hormonal or neurological regulation of blood pressure, and newer treatments such as renal denervation are uniquely centred on the renal nervous system. The Coupler effectively targets the mechanical aspects of how blood circulation works -- so it's a totally new approach to controlling blood pressure. The Coupler also highlights the importance of arterial stiffness as a major cause of resistant high blood pressure and it targets this issue both safely and successfully. Once the Coupler is placed, the results are also immediate, which again is unique to this treatment."

The study findings show that blood pressure treatment with the ROX Coupler can give both patients and doctors an alternative option for treating high blood pressure in the future -- particularly when standard therapies have failed.

The study has also put the spotlight on how dangerous uncontrolled high blood pressure truly is. During the study there were five hospital admissions for hypertensive crises among the control group and none in the Coupler group.

However, the Coupler, like all therapies, did have a side effect. Around 29 percent of patients who received the Coupler did go on to develop leg swelling which meant another short procedure was needed to deal with this (usually a stent in the vein).

Dr Lobo concludes: "High blood pressure is very dangerous and leads to hospital treatment, stroke, heart attack and chronic kidney disease. We must find better means of treating high blood pressure as drugs do not work for everyone and the Coupler is a big step forward in our search for alternative treatment.

"It's a little too early to begin applying these findings to routine clinical care at this stage. We need more research to explore the long-term effects of the Coupler, better understand its safety and understand more about how it works within the body. However, an International Registry is commencing early this year which means we will be able to continue offering patients with uncontrolled high blood pressure the option of Coupler treatment, as long as conventional measures to get their blood pressure down to target have failed."

VITAMIN D MAY NOT LOWER SENIORS FALL RISK

 Taking vitamin D supplements does little to reduce seniors’ risk of falls, a new review finds.

Researchers analyzed 20 studies that included nearly 30,000 people and tested how vitamin D supplements affected fall risk.

The results showed that the supplements did not reduce falls by 15 percent or more, which means they had little effect, according to Mark Bolland of the University of Auckland in New Zealand, and colleagues.

They concluded that there is insufficient evidence to support recommending vitamin D to seniors to lower their risk of falls, and also said that current ongoing studies investigating this theory are unlikely to change the conclusion.

The study was published in the April 23 issue of The Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology journal.

The researchers noted that current evidence does not show whether taking vitamin D supplements might reduce falls in particularly vulnerable older people, such as those who fall often. This is because most studies examine only the total number of falls among all participants, rather than the number of falls per person.

Until now, some evidence that vitamin D supplements might prevent falls has led certain health organizations to recommend the use of the supplements, the review authors noted.

“Whether a large trial is feasible in this vulnerable population remains to be established. Until then, we are left with uncertainty about the benefits of vitamin D supplementation for reduction in fall risk, particularly among vulnerable older people,” Clifford Rosen, of the Maine Medical Research Institute, and Christine Taylor, of the U.S. National Institutes of Health, wrote in an accompanying commentary.

LOWER CHOLESTEROL NATURALLY 12 FOODS THAT LOWER CHOLESTEROL

If you're already eating plenty of the following cholesterol lowering foods   keep up the good work! But if your idea of eating well is to opt for the "buttered popcorn" instead of the "extra-buttered popcorn," consider adding these healthy eats to your diet today: 

1. Oats

If you're looking to lower your cholesterol, the key may be simply changing your morning meal. Switching up your breakfast to contain two servings of oats can lower LDL cholesterol (the bad kind) by 5.3% in only 6 weeks. The key to this cholesterol buster is beta-glucan, a substance in oats that absorbs LDL, which your body then excretes. . 

2. Red wine

Scientists are giving us yet another reason to drink to our health. It turns out that high-fiber Tempranillo red grapes, used to make red wine like Rioja, may actually have a significant effect on cholesterol levels. A study conducted by the department of metabolism and nutrition at Universidad Complutense de Madrid in Spain found that when individuals consumed the same grape supplement found in red wine, their LDL levels decreased by 9%. In addition, those who had high cholesterol going into the study saw a 12% drop in LDL.

3. Salmon & fatty fish

Omega-3 fats are one of the natural health wonders of the world and have been shown to ward off heart disease, dementia, and many other diseases. Now these fatty acids can add yet another health benefit to their repertoire: lowering cholesterol. According to research from Loma Linda University, replacing saturated fats with omega-3s like those found in salmon, sardines, and herring can raise good cholesterol as much as 4%. 

4. Nuts

If you're looking to lower cholesterol levels, research shows that you should get cracking! In a study published by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, people who noshed on 1.5 ounces of whole walnuts 6 days a week for 1 month lowered their total cholesterol by 5.4% and LDL cholesterol by 9.3%. Almonds and cashews are other good options. However, while nuts are heart healthy, they're also high in calories, so practice portion control—1.5 ounces is about a shot glass and a half. Use a shot glass to measure out your portion so you can see exactly how it looks.

5. Tea

While tea has become well known for its cancer-fighting antioxidants, it is also a great defense against LDL cholesterol levels. According to research conducted with the USDA, black tea has been shown to reduce blood lipids by up to 10% in only 3 weeks. These findings were concluded in a larger study of how tea may also help reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.

6. Beans

Beans, beans—they really are good for your heart. Researchers at Arizona State University Polytechnic found that adding ½ cup of beans to soup lowers total cholesterol, including LDL, by up to 8%. The key to this heart-healthy food is its abundance of fiber, which has been shown to slow the rate and amount of absorption of cholesterol in certain foods. Try black, kidney, or pinto beans; each supplies about one-third of your daily fiber needs.

7. Chocolate

Ah, the sweet side of a heart-healthy diet: This powerful antioxidant helps build HDL cholesterol levels. In a 2007 study published in AJCN, participants who were given cocoa powder had a 24% increase in HDL levels over 12 weeks, compared with a 5% increase in the control group. Remember to choose the dark or bittersweet kind. Compared to milk chocolate, it has more than 3 times as many antioxidants, which prevent blood platelets from sticking together and may even keep arteries unclogged.

8. Margarine

Switching to a margarine with plant sterols, such as Promise activ or Benecol, could help lower cholesterol. Plant sterols are compounds that reduce cholesterol absorption; a study published in AJCN found that women who had a higher plant sterol–based diet were able to lower total cholesterol by 3.5%.

9. Garlic

Aside from adding zing to almost any dish, garlic has been found to lower cholesterol, prevent blood clots, reduce blood pressure, and protect against infections. Now research finds that it helps stop artery-clogging plaque at its earliest stage by keeping cholesterol particles from sticking to artery walls. Try for two to four fresh cloves a day.

10. Olive oil

Good news: This common cooking ingredient can help your health. Olive oil is full of heart-healthy monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs), which lower LDL cholesterol—and have the welcome side effect of trimming belly fat. Use it to make your own salad dressings, marinate chicken and fish, or roast vegetables.

11. Spinach

This popular green contains lots of lutein, the sunshine-yellow pigment found in dark green leafy vegetables and egg yolks. Lutein already has a "golden" reputation for guarding against age-related  macular deneration, a leading cause of blindness. Now research suggests that just ½ cup of a lutein-rich food daily also guards against heart attacks by helping artery walls "shrug off" cholesterol invaders that cause clogging. Look for bags of baby spinach leaves that you can use for salads or pop in the microwave for a quick side dish. 

12. Avocado

Avocados are a great source of heart-healthy monounsaturated fat, a type of fat that may actually help raise HDL cholesterol while lowering LDL. And, more than any other fruit, this delectable food packs cholesterol-smashing beta-sitosterol, a beneficial plant-based fat that reduces the amount of cholesterol absorbed from food. Since avocados are a bit high in calories and fat (300 calories and 30 g fat per avocado), use them in moderation.

Lower Abdominal Pain Pregnancy

Iliocostalis Thoracis Trigger Point

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Iliocostalis Thoracis Trigger Point

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