Blood Pressure Archive

A 2025 study suggests that polyphenols, found in a wide range of plant foods, may have long-term benefits for the heart. Over an average of 11 years, people whose diets contained the most polyphenol-rich foods ranked lowest on scores of heart disease risk.

A transient ischemic attack (TIA), or ministroke, is a serious warning sign for future stroke, especially in the first 48 hours. Medications plus lifestyle changes—healthy eating, regular exercise, and blood pressure control—can significantly lower that risk.

Beta blockers have long been standard treatment for people after a heart attack. New evidence suggests they may not help those whose hearts still pump normally, though the drugs remain important for heart attack survivors with reduced ejection fraction.

Reclining and lying down may be linked to worse cardiovascular health while short bouts of sitting or standing may reduce cardiovascular risk, according to a 2025 study.

Population-based studies have linked regular sauna use with better heart health. The high temperature inside a sauna—which usually ranges from about 150° F to 195° F—causes blood vessels to dilate, raising the heart rate and increasing blood flow throughout the body. However, randomized trials haven’t found much evidence that saunas can improve measures of cardiovascular health. People with low blood pressure, valve disease, and heart failure should be cautious while using saunas.

The 2025 blood pressure guidelines recommend starting drugs to treat hypertension if people don’t meet blood pressure goals after three to six months of lifestyle changes. The guidelines also recommend that everyone with high blood pressure be screened for primary aldosteronism, and suggest that people with resistant hypertension (stubbornly high blood pressure) consider renal denervation, a procedure that disrupts some of the nerves around the arteries supplying blood to the kidneys.

In a 2025 study, skipping breakfast was associated with a 10% increased risk for metabolic syndrome, a disorder defined by having three or more of the following: abdominal obesity, high blood pressure, high blood sugar, high triglycerides, and low HDL cholesterol.

A 2025 study suggested that women with diabetes are nearly twice as likely as men to have hidden heart disease. These women might especially benefit from early screening for problems in the small blood vessels of the heart.

Researchers have found that high blood pressure, diabetes, and smoking had the greatest association with the likelihood of a dementia diagnosis as people age. Managing these issues could offer protection.

A diet low in sodium and rich in plant-based foods promotes a diverse, balanced population of gut microbes, which may help people maintain a healthy blood pressure. A salty diet increases the prevalence of bad microbes and reduces the number of beneficial microbes. When bad microbes accumulate in the gut, they form  breakdown products and toxins that promote inflammation. Beneficial microbes feed on fiber, which is why a diet that provides a mix of healthy fiber from plant-based foods helps. These microbes produce short-chain fatty acids, which interact with specific receptors on cells that help regulate blood pressure.