News/Information

~Dr. Gabe Mirkin's Fitness and Health e-Zine

The SPRINT study shows that lowering systolic blood pressure to less than 120 rather than just below 140 reduces risk for heart attacks, heart failure and strokes by 33 percent and of death by 25 percent (NIH Press Releases, Sept. 11, 2015). The Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial (SPRINT) followed 9,300 men and women, ages 50 and over, who were at high risk for heart disease or already had kidney disease. The results were so dramatic that the study was stopped early. The report will be published soon.

More than half of people who are treated with medication for high blood pressure do not get their systolic blood pressure below 140. If doctors follow the findings of this study they should save lots of lives. However, they should do more than just prescribe more drugs. Lifestyle changes are even more effective than drugs to lower blood pressure, without the many side effects of the medications.

~Dr. Gabe Mirkin's Fitness and Health e-Zine

More than 90 percent of North Americans will develop high blood pressure. A new study shows that a diet high in potassium appears to protect teenagers from high blood pressure in adulthood, while a low-salt diet has no effect (JAMA Pediatr, June 2015;169(6):560-568). A high-potassium and low-salt diet is achieved by eating mostly plants, and people who eat lots of plants have the lowest rates of high blood pressure. Meats are high in salt and plants are high in potassium.

Don’t risk your aviation career, get screened for sleep apnea! FAA regulations are soon to be changing their guidelines for sleep apnea ensuring pilots don’t fall asleep at the controls.

On March 2^nd the new guidelines will be issued for any clinical and physical finding based on physician assessment.