Reductions in blood pressure lead to improved diastolic function — regardless of the antihypertensive drugs used — reports a study in Lancet.
Researchers sought to determine whether the angiotensin-receptor blocker valsartan would be more effective than other antihypertensives at improving diastolic function. They randomized nearly 400 patients with hypertension and evidence of diastolic dysfunction to receive either the ARB or placebo. The patients also received other classes of antihypertensive agents to lower blood pressure to below 135/80 mm Hg.
After 38 weeks, tissue Doppler imaging showed improved diastolic function in both valsartan and placebo recipients, but there was no significant difference between the groups.
Authors of an accompanying commentary note that valsartan might have an advantage in patients with more advanced left ventricular remodeling. Nevertheless, they add, "the good news is that lowering blood pressure improves diastolic function, irrespective of the antihypertensive regimen used."
Showing posts with label blood pressure. Show all posts
Showing posts with label blood pressure. Show all posts
Sunday, June 24, 2007
Effect of Soy Intake on Blood Pressure and Lipids
In hypertensive women who added soy to their diets, blood pressure decreased.
Dietary soy is one of several factors that might explain the lower incidence of coronary heart disease in Asian countries than in Western countries. In a randomized, crossover trial, 60 healthy postmenopausal women followed the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) diet or the NCEP diet with 25 g of soy protein supplied as one half cup of unsalted soy nuts (i.e., roasted soy beans) daily while maintaining an equivalent total protein content. Each phase was continued for 8 weeks, and researchers assessed the effect of the diets upon lipids and blood pressure (BP). Patients with systolic BP 165 mm Hg or diastolic BP of 100 mm Hg were excluded from the trial.
Mean BP was lower with soy than without, both among hypertensive women (137/82 vs. 152/88 mm Hg) and normotensive women (110/67 vs. 116/69 mm Hg). The soy diet was significantly lower in total and saturated fat than the control diet. Nonetheless, among normotensive women, total, LDL, and HDL cholesterol levels did not differ across diets. Among hypertensive women, LDL decreased by 11%; total and HDL cholesterol levels did not differ significantly.
Comment: In this small randomized crossover trial, adding soy protein to a diet showed impressive reductions in blood pressure; the magnitude of this effect was surprising and certainly requires confirmation. In contrast, the effect upon lipids was limited.
— Jamaluddin Moloo, MD, MPH
Published in Journal Watch General Medicine June 14, 2007
Citation(s):
Welty FK et al. Effect of soy nuts on blood pressure and lipid levels in hypertensive, prehypertensive, and normotensive postmenopausal women. Arch Intern Med 2007 May 28; 167:1060-7.
Dietary soy is one of several factors that might explain the lower incidence of coronary heart disease in Asian countries than in Western countries. In a randomized, crossover trial, 60 healthy postmenopausal women followed the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) diet or the NCEP diet with 25 g of soy protein supplied as one half cup of unsalted soy nuts (i.e., roasted soy beans) daily while maintaining an equivalent total protein content. Each phase was continued for 8 weeks, and researchers assessed the effect of the diets upon lipids and blood pressure (BP). Patients with systolic BP 165 mm Hg or diastolic BP of 100 mm Hg were excluded from the trial.
Mean BP was lower with soy than without, both among hypertensive women (137/82 vs. 152/88 mm Hg) and normotensive women (110/67 vs. 116/69 mm Hg). The soy diet was significantly lower in total and saturated fat than the control diet. Nonetheless, among normotensive women, total, LDL, and HDL cholesterol levels did not differ across diets. Among hypertensive women, LDL decreased by 11%; total and HDL cholesterol levels did not differ significantly.
Comment: In this small randomized crossover trial, adding soy protein to a diet showed impressive reductions in blood pressure; the magnitude of this effect was surprising and certainly requires confirmation. In contrast, the effect upon lipids was limited.
— Jamaluddin Moloo, MD, MPH
Published in Journal Watch General Medicine June 14, 2007
Citation(s):
Welty FK et al. Effect of soy nuts on blood pressure and lipid levels in hypertensive, prehypertensive, and normotensive postmenopausal women. Arch Intern Med 2007 May 28; 167:1060-7.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
