Dr Oz: Blood Pressure Breakthroughs
Dr. Oz shared that he had three new breakthroughs that could help control your blood pressure. Blood pressure in our country is out of control, with a 25% surge in hypertension in emergency rooms in the last five years. Dr. Oz said high blood pressure is the number risk factor for the number one killer of women in this country: heart disease.
New research says that doctors need to treat high blood pressure even early and more aggressively in women than in men. The good news is that Dr. Oz has three new blood pressure breakthroughs that everyone needs to know about. One out of every three adults have high blood pressure and almost 70% who have their first heart attack have high blood pressure at that time. Nearly half of all adults who have high blood pressure are women.
Dr Oz: Lose Five Pounds To Lower Blood Pressure
Dr. Oz shared blood pressure breakthroughs including why losing just five pounds can make a big difference. (mocho / Shutterstock.com)
Dr. Oz welcomed to his show Dr. Lori Mosca, the Director of Preventative Cardiology at Columbia University Medical Center. Dr. Mosca said studies provide doctors with the ability to help patients improve their blood pressure and be motivated to take charge of their own health.
The first blood pressure breakthrough has to do with your weight and it’s all about the number 5. Dr. Oz shared that just five pounds of weight gain can increase your blood pressure. Dr. Mosca said she likes to flip it around by saying that five pounds of weight loss can reduce your blood pressure. She brought in a model of what five pounds of fat looks like, and it truly was shocking how significant just five pounds is.
Dr. Oz then explained that it’s particularly the fat inside the belly that is most concerning. He said the kidneys are vitally important and when they’re squished by fat, they suffocate and have to change the amount of blood they’re getting, so your blood pressure changes. Just five pounds of weight loss can improve the condition of your kidneys. Dr. Mosca said, “It’s about the gut fat, not the butt fat.”
Dr. Mosca said five pound weight gain was associated with a four point increase in blood pressure, which doesn’t sound like a lot but four points is certainly a lot. But again, if you lose five pounds and lower your blood pressure by four points that’s a really great thing.
Dr Oz: Polypill For Blood Pressure
The next blood pressure breakthrough is a medication called a polypill. Dr. Mosca explained that a polypill is a mixed dose of medications that have been proven to lower the risk for heart disease. The FDA has been having a lot of positive discussions about the polypill and its association with a reduced risk of heart disease.
Dr. Oz explained what a polypill is by saying that it’s for people who need to take three different medications, such as an aspirin, a cholesterol medication, and a high blood pressure medication. The polypill would consist of all three medicines: an aspirin, a statin, and an antihypertension drug. He said normally you would have to take those drugs separately, and the polypill would allow you to take them together.
Dr. Mosca said the trend addresses the issue of patients not taking medicines after they’re prescribed to them because they’re on too many. She said the idea is to simplify the regimen, and studies have shown the polypill is associated with better adherence. The pill is such a new concept that it isn’t out yet.
Dr Oz: Lowering Blood Pressure Too Much Causes Dementia
Dr. Oz also reported that now, lowering your blood pressure too much has been linked to memory loss and dementia. Dr. Mosca said we’ve known for a long time that high blood pressure is bad for the brain, and high blood pressure over a long period of time can lead to a stroke. But doctors are now learning that in older people who have stiffer blood vessels, they may need higher blood pressure, so too low blood pressure in some individuals may not be a good thing.
Dr. Oz explained that ideally, you want your blood pressure to be a healthy range. Dr. Oz explained that for people who’s brains have gotten somewhat used to high blood pressure, when suddenly they’re treated for high blood pressure, not enough blood reaches the brain, so it can cause shrinkage and damage of the brain. He said doctors now know they want to let the blood pressure be a little higher than they would for other patients in order to avoid dementia.
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