Lowering one’s blood pressure to reach ‘ normal’ values is known to have little clinical benefit according to Cochrane analysis.
 
According to Cochrane Review’s systematic analysis  of available  evidence, researchers found that the use of  anti -hypertensive drugs to bring down the  blood pressure below  140/90 mm Hg did not reduce associated  death rates or the morbidity linked to  high BP.

A number of publications suggest that “lower is better” and recommend aiming for lower BP targets. The present study does not endorse this view.

The review included seven trials involving 22,089 people. It showed that there was no difference, between the standard group (aiming for a BP of  140/90Hg) and the second group (aiming for 135/85Hg), in terms of death rates or associated morbidities like heart attacks, strokes and  heart  or kidney failure.
 
Says Jose Arguedas, lead researcher of the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Costa Rica, “At present there is no evidence from randomized trials to support aiming for a blood pressure target lower than 140/90, in the general population of patients with elevated blood pressure,”
 
“Our research included patients with diabetes or chronic renal disease, and the evidence was slightly less robust for those subgroups of patients. We intend to carry out separate systematic reviews for those subgroups, especially because guidelines recommend even lower blood pressure targets for them”, states Arguedas.
 
Perhaps the trick to increase one’s life span is to keep lifestyle diseases, like diabetes, at bay. This can be realized by   following the ‘take it easy’ policy to reduce stress and by maintaining a healthy lifestyle regime. Life then becomes more pleasurable and worth every living  minute!

Dr.Reeja Tharu

Related links

1. Quiz on Hypertension

2. Blood Pressure charts

3. Stroke - First Aid and Emergency Treatment Guide

There are over a million alcohol- related deaths each year, world wide. A considerable number of these deaths occur among the young, including students.

Cochrane Systematic Review came with the following interesting observation — providing students with personalized feedback regarding their penchant for drinking, and how their behavior compares to social norms, might help to reduce alcohol misuse.

Substantial social science research has revealed  that students are inclined to verestimate the quantity of alcohol that their peers consume. This overestimation has an impact on their behaviors and contributes to the escalating numbers of alcohol-related deaths among them.

According to the 22 trials conducted by  Cochrane research, providing personalized  feedback about students’ drinking  behaviors (and that of their peers’) using the internet or individual face- to- face  counseling sessions may help to address these misconceptions  and to minimize alcohol - related problems!

Group counseling and mailed feedback did not produce the necessary impact.

Lead researcher Maria Teresa Moreira, from the School of Health and Social Care, Oxford Brookes University, UK says “We can’t make direct comparisons between the different interventions, but ,based on a small number of studies, web-based interventions would certainly seem to be a cost-effective option for reducing alcohol misuse.”

“We know that social norms have a powerful impact on thought and behaviour, so changing people’s perceptions about what is normal can really help. Most of the effects lasted for a few months, but some lasted over a year, particularly for the web-based feedback,”  Moreira added.

So the next time your teen binges on alcohol, feed him back his drinking behavior and don’t forget to use the net!

Dr.Reeja Tharu

Related links

1. Alcohol abuse

2. Natural Remedy - Alcoholism