Are you living close to major roads? You have higher risk of hypertension!
There is a strong association between the risk of high blood pressure and living near to a major road – according to a new study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
The study involved 5400 women in the San Diego Metropolitan area and found living within 100 meters of a major busy road increases the risk of hypertension by 22 percent.
The study does not go into details on what specifically (noise, pollution, etc...) causes hypertension, but it raises questions about city development and its impact on health.
Hypertension, even when treated, carries high risk of cardiovascular disease, such as coronary artery disease, enlarged left heart or heart failure. But high blood pressure can also lead to stroke, kidney damage or vision loss.
Hypertension can silently damage you for years before symptoms (if any) may develop. But in most cases, it does not have any symptoms at all - the best policy is therefore prevention.
Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring is a useful tool in managing hypertension, as it gives more measurements automatically for a 24-hour period, including night-time, which is a special indicator of adverse cardiovascular events.
Meditech is one of the worldwide technology leaders in the areas of ambulatory blood pressure manufacturing.
Arm vs. wrist ambulatory blood pressure monitoring - which is better?
With the increasing popularity and widespread use of ambulatory blood pressure monitoring devices, questions arise about the benefits of the traditional arm and wrist-type blood pressure monitors. 
Convenience
Wrist Pro: no cuff, no problem
Improper cuff selection; the use of cuffs that are too small or too narrow, one of the most frequent cause of blood pressure monitoring errors. Therefore, choosing a cuffless device might help to eliminate this problem.
Upper-arm Pro: easier to use and read
A traditional ambulatory blood pressure monitor has a large LCD screen, which is much easier to see and it has large device buttons, which make it easier to use.
Positioning
It is widely accepted that the farther the point of mesaurement from the heart is, the less representative the pressure measurements are. However, study findings not always justify this approach.
Wrist Pro
While a study published in Blood Press Monit. in February 2013, which the tested a wrist monitor, showed fair agreement with the arm monitor in the ambulatory condition...
Wrist Con
...another study found remarkable difference between upper arm and wrist blood pressure measurement values, and as a conclusion they outlined their strong support of the current recommendations for using upper arm blood pressure measurement whenever possible.
Accuracy
Both traditional upper arm and wirst ambulatory blood pressure monitors must meet strick specifications for accuracy. However, it is remarkable that dabl Educational Trust website, which has the aim to provide consumers with the latest information on the accuracy and performance of blood pressure measuring devices, recommends upper arm ambulatiry blood pressure monitors only.
When wrist blood pressure monitoring is necessary?
Wrist ambulatory blood pressure monitoring can be inevitable when the patient is extreme obese and there is no cuff that could be properly fitted;
or in case of injuries to the upper arm.
Meditech is one of the worldwide technology leaders in manufacturing of ambulatory blood pressure and Holter ECG monitors.
Apple vs Pear Shape - Hypertension Risks
Having the same body mass index, apple-shaped people (with fat around their abdominal area) are at greater risk of developing hypertension than pear-shaped people (with fat around their hips and bottoms) – according to the latest study published by the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
Obesity is a well-known risk factor for hypertension and other diseases such as coronary heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes or sleep apnea, but the relationship between hypertension and site-specific fat distribution is unclear. 
The study
The study involved 903 participants who were followed for 7 years to track development of hypertension.
At the end of the study period 25 percent of participants developed hypertension and retroperitoneal fat (a type of visceral fat, which is the result of high abdominal fat distribution) remained the single risk factor for hypertension.
Conclusions
The presence of retroperiotoneal fat (fat around the kidney) has a significant effect on the development of hypertension.
Meditech is one of the worldwide technology leaders in the areas of ambulatory blood pressure and ECG monitoring.
Singing Has Positive Effects on Reducing Blood Pressure & Pain
Sounds can influence brain wave frequencies and promote well-being, specifically:
- reduce stress and pain 
- lower blood pressure
- boost the immune system
- imrove breathing
Singing as a Stress Reducer
Researchers from the University of Frankfurt made blood tests with professional singers who were singing in a choir before and after the rehearsal of Mozart's "Requiem."
They found that concentrations of immunoglobin A (antibodies) and hydrocortisone (a stress-reducing hormone) increased during the rehearsal.
In contrast, after asking the participants to listen to the "Requiem" without singing, they did not record any significant modifications in their blood composition.
Singing May Reduce Your Blood Pressure
According to an other case-report, the blood pressure of an elderly woman who had received serious antihypertensive treatment in vain prior to knee surgery, reduced significantly after singing some religious songs.
Several studies confirm that listening to music can be effective in reducing blood pressure, but singing seems to be a more effective stress reducer.
In the current case the 76-year-old woman's blood pressure was 160/90 mmHg which has increased to 240/120 mmHg in the preoperative area.
The patient managed to calm herself down and keep her blood pressure at acceptable levels by singing several songs, so that she could be operated the following morning without complications.
However, to be formally considered as an alternative therapy in blood pressure reduction, more studies are needed to confirm the positive effects of singing.
Meditech is one of the worldwide technology leaders in ambulatory blood pressure and Holter ECG monitoring with the commitment to lower blood pressure and the risk of other cardiovascular diseases.
Cut Down on Snoring to Reduce Your Blood Pressure
Treating snoring can reduce blood pressure. But what is the connection?
Severe snoring can be a sign of obstructive sleep apnea, which increases the risk of heart disease, stroke and dementia.
What is Obstructive Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea occurs when the muscles in a certain part of your throat are relaxed. This causes an airway obstruction that can stop a person's breathing for several seconds.
When your breathing is stopped, oxygen level in your lungs and blood starts to decrease. Adrenaline levels, however, begin to increase. As a result, the breathing center in the brain takes this signal as a 'breathe now' command, which makes a person wake up and gasp for air before falling back to sleep.
The increase of adrenaline also makes your heart beat faster and your blood pressure starts swinging up and down.
Obstructive Sleep Apnea is the Most Common Cause of Secondary Hypertension
If blood pressure remains high despite taking several blood pressure medications, obstructive sleep apnea can be a possible cause.
Although sleep apnea is quite common due to the fact that the population is growing older and more obese, many patients are never diagnosed.
As primary care physician first encounter patients with the symtoms of obstructive sleep apnea, a cheap ans easily accessible tool is needed to confirm the suspect.
Obstructive Sleep Apnea Symptoms
- extreme snoring
- drowning nightmares
- daytime sleepniess
- morning headaches
- mental deficits
- erectile dysfunction
- resistant hypertension
- stroke
- rhythm disturbances
Meditech apneABP for Primary Care Physicians to Diagnose Sleep Apnea 
Overnight, in-lab tests to diagnose sleep apnea have high costs. Meditech apneABP, a cost-effective sleep apnea and hypertension screening monitor can be worn at home, makes it possible to reduce costs by referring only those patients to sleep labs who really need the expensive examination.
Preserve Sleep Lab Tests Only for Those Who Really Need Them
Although Meditech apneABP is considered to be effective for most patients, home testing cannot be compared to sleep centers which typically monitor 24 channels included brain waves, eye movements or chin activity. But these costly tests should preserve only for those, who really need them.
Meditech is one of the worldwide technology leaders in the areas of ambulatory blood pressure and Holter ECG monitoring.