hypertension

A 30-year study involving 191 adults, who had an average age of 24 at the beginning of the study, found that those who experienced relatively high blood pressure during young adulthood also experienced significant declines in cognitive function and gait in midlife (approximately 56 years old).

Higher cumulative blood pressure was also associated with slower walking speed, smaller step length and higher gait variability, and lower cognitive performance.

https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2020-03/afot-hiy030420.php

Mahinrad Simin, Kurian Shawn, Garner Chaney R., Sedaghat Sanaz, Nemeth Alexander J., Moscufo Nicola, Higgins James P., Jacobs David R., Hausdorff Jeffrey M., Lloyd-Jones Donald M., & Sorond Farzaneh A. (2020). Cumulative Blood Pressure Exposure During Young Adulthood and Mobility and Cognitive Function in Midlife. Circulation, 141(9), 712–724. https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.119.042502

High blood pressure could significantly raise the risk of developing the second most common form of dementia, according to a new study from The George Institute for Global Health.

Analysis of the medical records of 4.28 million people found that, among those aged 30-50, high blood pressure was associated with a 62% higher risk of vascular dementia. Among those aged 51-70, high blood pressure was associated with a 26% higher risk of vascular dementia.

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-05/gifg-hbp051616.php

Emdin Connor A., Rothwell Peter M., Salimi-Khorshidi Gholamreza, Kiran Amit, Conrad Nathalie, Callender Thomas, Mehta Ziyah, Pendlebury Sarah T., Anderson Simon G., Mohseni Hamid, Woodward Mark, & Rahimi Kazem. (2016). Blood Pressure and Risk of Vascular Dementia. Stroke, 47(6), 1429–1435. https://doi.org/10.1161/STROKEAHA.116.012658

A study involving 449 older adults (50+) found that those with high blood pressure who achieved systolic blood pressure of less than 120 mm Hg ("intensive" blood pressure control) had a small but significantly lower amount of white matter lesions on their brain but a slightly greater decrease in brain volume than similar patients who achieved the current standard for healthy blood pressure of 140 mm Hg.

https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2019-08/uota-gbp081319.php

The SPRINT MIND Investigators for the SPRINT Research Group. Association of Intensive vs Standard Blood Pressure Control With Cerebral White Matter Lesions. JAMA. 2019;322(6):524–534. doi:10.1001/jama.2019.10551

A study examining blood pressure and sleep habits in 323 healthy women found that those who had mild sleep problems were significantly more likely to have elevated blood pressure. Further examination of some of these women revealed an association between endothelial inflammation and mild sleep disturbances. Endothelial inflammation is a significant contributor to cardiovascular disease.

https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-06/cuim-iwe062618.php

One novel way to reduce blood pressure comes from a study that found that 30 minutes of whole-body blue light significantly reduced systolic blood pressure by almost 8 mmHg, similar to what is seen in clinical trials with blood pressure lowering drugs.

Exposure to blue light also reduced arterial stiffness, increased blood vessel relaxation, and increased levels of nitric oxide.

https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-11/uos-blc110818.php

• Long-known to lower LDL cholesteral, a new study shows oats also impact other markers that may be better measures of cardiovascular risk for those with diabetes or metabolic syndrome.
• An experimental study shows that whole grain foods significantly lower blood pressure compared to eating the equivalent refined grain foods.
• A review of population studies shows that the more whole grains you eat, the lower your risk of cardiovascular disease.

Eating oats lowers cholesterol on 3 markers

It’s long been known that eating oats can lower cholesterol levels, but the research focus has been on the effect on LDL cholesterol. However, there is growing evidence that two other markers provide an even more accurate assessment of cardiovascular risk:

• non-HDL cholesterol (total cholesterol minus HDL cholesterol)
• apolipoprotein B (apoB) — a lipoprotein that carries LDL cholesterol through the blood.

This is especially true for people with metabolic syndrome and Type 2 diabetes, since they typically don't have elevated LDL cholesterol levels.

In light of this, it’s good to see a review and meta-analysis of 58 clinical trials has concluded that eating oat fibre can reduce all three markers.

The reason is thought to lie in beta-glucan, a viscous soluble fibre, for which oats are a rich source. Oat bran contains twice as much as oat meal.

The review found that overall, LDL cholesterol was reduced by 4.2%, non-HDL cholesterol by 4.8% and apoB by 2.3%.

https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-10/smh-rse100616.php

Whole grain diet reduces cardiovascular disease risk

A study involving 33 overweight and obese adults who followed a whole grain diet for eight weeks and a refined grain diet during another eight week period, found that those on the whole grain diet saw a more than three-fold improvement in diastolic blood pressure compared to the refined grain diet.

This improvement equates to reducing the risk of death from heart disease by almost one-third, and the risk of death from a stroke by two-fifths.

Participants were under 50. Before age 50, an elevated diastolic blood pressure is associated with increased cardiovascular disease risk (diastolic is the bottom number, when you’re given a blood pressure reading).

Overall, there were substantial reductions in body weight, fat loss, systolic blood pressure, total cholesterol, and LDL cholesterol during both diet periods, but these differences were due to the people changing their normal dietary habits to carefully controlled diets. The order of diets was randomized, and there was a ten week period between them. The 33 participants included 6 men and 27 women.

The finding is supported by a meta-analysis of 45 different population studies that investigated whole grain intake in relation to risk of future illness or death due to specific causes. The review found that eating three more portions of whole grain foods a day was associated with a lower risk for all cardiovascular diseases and for dying of cancer, diabetes, and respiratory and infectious diseases. Three servings would be, say, two slices of whole-grain bread and one bowl of whole-grain cereal.

The benefits were dose-dependent, with the lowest risk found among those with the highest intake of whole-grain products: 7 to 7 ½ servings of whole grain products a day. This corresponds to 210-225 grams of whole grain products in fresh weight and about 70-75 grams of whole grains in dry weight.

https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-10/cc-ccs101816.php

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-06/nuos-sso061516.php

Ho, H., Sievenpiper, J., Zurbau, A., Blanco Mejia, S., Jovanovski, E., Au-Yeung, F., . . . Vuksan, V. (2016). The effect of oat β-glucan on LDL-cholesterol, non-HDL-cholesterol and apoB for CVD risk reduction: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised-controlled trials. British Journal of Nutrition, 116(8), 1369-1382. doi:10.1017/S000711451600341X

Kirwan, J. P., Malin, S. K., Scelsi, A. R., Kullman, E. L., Navaneethan, S. D., Pagadala, M. R., … Ross, A. B. (2016). A Whole-Grain Diet Reduces Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Overweight and Obese Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial. The Journal of Nutrition, 146(11), 2244–2251. https://doi.org/10.3945/jn.116.230508

Aune Dagfinn, Keum NaNa, Giovannucci Edward, Fadnes Lars T, Boffetta Paolo, Greenwood Darren C et al. Whole grain consumption and risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and all cause and cause specific mortality: systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of prospective studies BMJ 2016; 353 :i2716 http://www.bmj.com/content/353/bmj.i2716