Systemic Consequences of Pulmonary Hypertension and Right-Sided Heart Failure | Circulation
Scientists Find A Natural Cure For High Blood Pressure
Researchers from Pantox Laboratories propose that fasting could help reverse high blood pressure naturally by disrupting harmful metabolic cycles.
While a high-salt diet is widely recognized as a major contributor to high blood pressure, simply reducing salt intake often produces only modest results.
This suggests that salt might interact with other aspects of a modern diet to create self-sustaining cycles that keep blood pressure elevated, even when dietary salt is reduced.
Therapeutic fasting, which involves temporarily abstaining from food, has been shown to significantly lower high blood pressure. One reason for this effect is that fasting reduces insulin secretion, which is closely linked to blood pressure regulation.
By minimizing insulin levels, fasting may help reset the body's metabolic balance and interrupt the cycles that maintain hypertension.
Recent studies have demonstrated that a structured regimen of water-only fasting, followed by a low-fat, low-salt, whole-food vegan diet, can lead to dramatic reductions in blood pressure without the need for medication.
These reductions are not temporary; patients who adhere to the follow-up diet often maintain their improved blood pressure levels over time.
This suggests that fasting, combined with a healthy maintenance diet, could offer a lasting solution for high blood pressure, potentially acting as a natural "cure."
For those unable to commit to complete fasting, a protein-sparing modified fast—where protein is consumed in limited amounts to prevent muscle loss—might offer similar benefits.
If this approach proves effective, it could provide a safer and more practical way to implement fasting in outpatient settings, making it accessible to more people.
The implications of fasting extend beyond high blood pressure. Researchers suggest that its ability to break harmful metabolic cycles could also make it effective in treating other conditions, such as type 2 diabetes and autoimmune disorders.
For example, fasting followed by a protective maintenance diet may provide a powerful strategy for managing these conditions. If a metabolic disorder can be prevented—but not reversed—by a specific diet, combining fasting with the diet may offer a more comprehensive and effective treatment.
This research highlights the potential of therapeutic fasting as a natural, drug-free approach to managing chronic health conditions.
While further studies are needed to confirm its safety and efficacy in broader populations, fasting combined with a healthy, sustainable diet could offer new hope for patients seeking long-term solutions to high blood pressure and other metabolic disorders.
If you care about high blood pressure, please read studies about breakfast for better blood pressure management, and the gut feeling that lowers blood pressure.
For more health information, please see recent studies about how the dash diet helps lower blood pressure, and how to eat your way to healthy blood pressure.
Copyright © 2024 Knowridge Science Report. All rights reserved.
Top 5 Most-Read PAH Articles Of 2024
The top articles about pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) in 2024 included FDA approvals, the effect of salt substitutes on hypertension, and how diagnosis time affects outcomes.
Outcomes based on diagnosis time, how salt substitute affects hypertension, and FDA approvals made up our 5 top articles of 2024 about pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH).
Below are our top 5 most-read articles of this year. To view the entirely of our PAH coverage, visit our PAH page.
5. Researchers Emphasize Importance of Appropriate Kidney Transplant Management Based on PH Type
Considerations and management strategies for patients who are undergoing kidney transplant and also have pulmonary hypertension (PH) were outlined in a study published in February. These subtypes of PH included PAH and 4 groups that were secondary to other conditions, including heart disease, lung disease, and chronic thromboembolic disease. Disease severity, patient preferences, and safety profile should be considered for patients with PAH prior to their kidney transplant whereas the other groups should be treated through the use of the American Heart Association guidelines, oxygen therapy, or anticoagulation, depending on their condition.
Read the full article here.
4. FDA Approves Macitentan, Tadalafil Combination Tablet for Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension
The FDA approved the use of a single-tablet combination of macitentan (OPSUMIT) and tadalafil (Cialis) in March 2024 to be used for chronic treatment of PAH in those who are either on an endothelin receptor antagonist, phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitor, both, or are treatment-naïve. The results from the A DUE study was the basis of the approval, with patients using the combination therapy having greater reductions in pulmonary vascular resistance compared with those taking either macitentan or tadalafil monotherapy after 16 weeks.
Read the full article here.
3. Salt Substitute Reduces Incidence of Hypertension in Older Adults
Replacing regular salt with a salt substitute in older adults with a normal blood pressure was able to reduce the incidence of hypertension while not increasing the rate of hypotension. The study, which evaluated older adults in elderly care centers in China, found that those who used the salt substitute had an incidence of hypertension of 11.7 per 100 person-years after 2 years compared with 24.3 per 100 person-years in participants who used normal salt. Participants were 40% less likely to develop hypertension when using the salt substitute.
Read the full article here.
The top articles about PAH in 2024 centered on FDA approvals and hypertensionImage credit: tashatuvango - stock.Adobe.Com
2. FDA Approves Sotatercept, First-in-Class Treatment for Adults With PAH
Sotatercept (Winrevair; Merck), an activin signaling inhibitor, was approved in March 2024 for the treatment of patients with PAH. The approval was based on the STELLAR trial conducted in April 2023 which helped patients with PAH improve their 6-minute walking distance by a median of 34.4 m after 24 weeks compared with just 1.0 m in the placebo group. Sotatercept was also able to improve all secondary endpoints in patients, including World Health Organization functional class, time to death or clinical worsening, and change in pulmonary vascular resistance.
Read the full article here.
1. PAH Treatment Outcomes Similar Regardless of Diagnosis Time
A new study found that patients diagnosed with PAH recently had similar outcomes to those diagnosed more than 6 months prior. Both groups of patients had similar survival and hospitalization rates after receiving the combination of macitentan and tadalafil. Even though those newly diagnosed started receiving the combination therapy a median of less than 2 months after their diagnosis compared with a median of more than 3 years after diagnosis for those with a long-standing diagnosis, their survival rates (89% vs 93%) were similar after 1 year of receiving the combination therapy.
Read the full article here.
Scientists Find Better Drug For High Blood Pressure Treatment
A recent study by Columbia University has revealed that ACE inhibitors, one of the most commonly prescribed medications for high blood pressure, may not be the most effective choice for many patients.
The research indicates that thiazide diuretics outperform ACE inhibitors in reducing the risk of serious heart issues while also causing fewer side effects. Despite this, thiazide diuretics are significantly underprescribed compared to ACE inhibitors.
When treating high blood pressure, doctors can choose from several classes of medications, including:
However, there is limited large-scale data to guide which medication should be the first choice. As a result, many medical guidelines are based on expert opinion rather than robust studies.
In this new study, researchers examined health records of approximately 5 million patients who had recently started treatment for high blood pressure. The goal was to identify which medications led to the best outcomes.
The results were clear:
The study showed that patients who started treatment with thiazide diuretics experienced 15% fewer heart attacks, strokes, and cases of heart failure compared to those who began with ACE inhibitors.
Additionally, thiazide diuretics caused fewer side effects. Patients on ACE inhibitors experienced higher rates of 19 different side effects, including kidney problems and persistent cough.
Researchers estimate that if all patients in the study had started with thiazide diuretics, approximately 3,100 major heart-related events, such as heart attacks, could have been prevented.
Thiazide diuretics, a well-established treatment for high blood pressure, lower blood pressure by helping the kidneys eliminate excess salt and water from the body.
In contrast, ACE inhibitors work by relaxing blood vessels, making it easier for the heart to pump blood. While both drug classes are effective, this study suggests that thiazide diuretics are not only safer but also more effective as a first-line treatment.
The findings challenge the current preference for prescribing ACE inhibitors as the first choice for high blood pressure. Researchers emphasize the need for doctors to reconsider their prescribing habits and prioritize thiazide diuretics when appropriate.
By adopting thiazide diuretics more widely as a first-line treatment, doctors could significantly reduce serious cardiovascular events and minimize adverse side effects for patients.
This research, led by George Hripcsak and published in The Lancet, underscores the importance of evidence-based decisions in medical practice.
Moving forward, these findings may influence future guidelines, ensuring that patients receive the safest and most effective treatment for high blood pressure.
As healthcare providers aim to improve patient outcomes, thiazide diuretics may play a central role in redefining the approach to hypertension treatment.
If you care about coffee, please read studies that drinking coffee this way can help prevent stroke, heart disease, and drink coffee after breakfast, not before, for better blood sugar control.
For more information about nutrition, please see recent studies about natural supplement that could relieve anxiety, and results showing this common food oil in the U.S. Can change genes in the brain.
Copyright © 2024 Knowridge Science Report. All rights reserved.
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