Older adults managing high blood pressure might just have one more tool in the toolbox.  A new study suggests that artificial intelligence (AI)-powered voice agents can help older adults manage their high blood pressure, potentially transforming how remote patient care is delivered.  These preliminary findings were presented Sunday during an American Heart Association meeting in…  read on >  read on >

Most people with high blood pressure aren’t skipping the salt shaker in favor of a salt substitute, according to a new study. Incredibly few Americans use salt substitutes, essentially waving aside a simple and effective way to manage their blood pressure, researchers reported Thursday at an American Heart Association (AHA) meeting in Baltimore. “Overall, less…  read on >  read on >

Deaths from blood-pressure-driven kidney disease have increased dramatically during the past quarter-century, according to a new study. Deaths from high blood pressure-related kidney disease increased by nearly half in the U.S. over the past 25 years, researchers reported Thursday at an American Heart Association (AHA) meeting in Baltimore. The highest death rates were among Black…  read on >  read on >

Folks who start using weed to cope with anxiety, depression or pain might end up with a worse mental state than before, a new study says. People self-medicating with marijuana had higher levels of paranoia, anxiety and depression, researchers reported recently in the journal BMJ Mental Health. By comparison, those using weed for “fun” or…  read on >  read on >

Community hospitals don’t often transfer severely injured patients to higher-level trauma centers that could provide the care they need, a new study says. Fewer than half of severely injured people are transferred from a low-level trauma center to larger or more advanced hospitals, researchers reported in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons. The…  read on >  read on >

An experimental pill might help people with stubborn high blood pressure that won’t relent to other treatments, clinical trial results show. Patients with treatment-resistant high blood pressure saw a significant drop after taking the new drug baxdrostat once a day for three months, researchers reported Aug. 30 in the New England Journal of Medicine. Blood…  read on >  read on >