Key indicators of cardiovascular health, such as blood pressure and arterial stiffness, are headed in the wrong direction in "chunky" adolescents, researchers say.

Hypertension is a serious condition affecting millions. Currently there are seven classes of drugs used to reduce blood pressure. Aliskiren (Tekturna®, Rasilez®) is the first of a new class of orally active antihypertensive drugs that works by inhibiting renin.

A simple spit test designed to detect pre-eclampsia in the early stages is being trialed in a UK hospital, reports Cath O'Driscoll in Chemistry & Industry, the magazine of the SCI. The test, which is designed to be used at home, will allow mums-to-be to check for themselves whether they are at risk of the condition, which can be symptomless in the early stages but kills 1000 babies in the UK every year.

First Controlled Large-Scale Intervention Angiotensin Receptor Blocker (ARB) Trial in a Japanese Population, JIKEI HEART Study Demonstrates Significant Reduction in Blood Pressure and Protection of Organs with Valsartan.

Researchers from Canada and Australia have found that the use of remote monitoring for patients with chronic heart failure has the potential to significantly improve clinical outcomes (mortality, morbidity and quality indicators).

The controversial idea that one cause of high blood pressure lies within the brain, and not the heart or blood vessels, has been put forward by scientists at the University of Bristol, UK, and is published this week in the journal Hypertension.

Foods rich in cocoa appear to reduce blood pressure but drinking tea may not, according to an analysis of previously published research in the April 9 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

A systematic review of studies published over the past four decades has confirmed that good doctor-patient communication makes a difference not only in patient satisfaction but in patient outcomes including resolution of chronic headaches, changes in emotional states, lower blood sugar values in diabetics, improved blood pressure readings in hypertensives, and other important health indicators.

Researchers today reported that an investigational anti-hypertensive therapy may perform better in controlling blood pressure than standard treatments for patients undergoing heart surgery, during a presentation at the American College of Cardiology's 56th Annual Scientific Session.

In an era of increasing death and illness from heart and blood vessel disease -- which also can impair kidney function -- Mayo Clinic researchers have designed two promising new cardiovascular treatment approaches. In the process, they have overcome a key technological hurdle that has stymied researchers around the world in the development of new therapies based on clusters of amino acids called peptides.