Obesity-related hypertension: evaluation of the separate effects of energy restriction and weight reduction on hemodynamic and neuroendocrine status

Article Abstract:

Evidence exists that people who are overweight are more prone to high blood pressure. When patients are placed on restricted diets to lose weight, blood pressure also decreases. Three factors involved in dieting may account for these decreases: lower caloric intake, reduced sodium intake, and decreased body fat content. No study has conclusively shown that any of the decrease in blood pressure is attributable to the decreased body fat alone rather than to the caloric and sodium restrictions. This study examined the separate effects of caloric restriction and decreased body fat on lowering blood pressure. The study followed 24 women who were mildly obese and had mild to moderate hypertension (high blood pressure). The women were placed on a restricted-calorie diet to decrease body fat, but were given constant levels of sodium and other nutrients, as well as carefully proportioned diets, to eliminate other factors from contributing to decreased blood pressures. Once the women had reached a nearly normal weight, caloric content was increased to a maintenance level to factor out caloric restriction in blood pressure results. The subjects lost an average of 17 percent of their body weight during the study. Blood pressures in the subjects were significantly lower at the end of the study than at its beginning. Analysis of blood pressure data taken throughout the study revealed that decreases in blood pressure were statistically related to decreased body fat, but not to caloric restriction. Metabolic measurements of insulin and other substances followed the pattern expected for caloric restriction, but did not closely correlate with blood pressure. Thus, blood pressure decreases seen in subjects who restrict calories are not only a short-term effect of caloric deprivation, but also an effect of body fat reduction. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Care and treatment, Hypertension, Complications and side effects, Physiological aspects, Obesity, Weight loss, Blood pressure

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Mortality resulting from blood dyscrasias in the United States, 1984

Article Abstract:

The 1984 national death certificate data was analyzed to determine the number and rate of deaths due to four blood dyscrasias or diseases: aplastic anemia, thrombocytopenia, agranulocytosis, and hemolytic anemia. Aplastic anemia is a decrease in red blood cells due to abnormalities or destruction of the bone marrow, whereas hemolytic anemia is characterized by the hemolysis or breakdown of red blood cells. Agranulocytosis is characterized by a drop in white blood cells, high fever, extreme exhaustion, and ulcers in the mouth, rectum, and vagina. Thrombocytopenia is associated with an abnormal decrease in blood platelets, cells involved in blood clotting. Many of these diseases may result from toxic chemicals, medications, or radiation. Review of the data revealed that these blood diseases were the cause of 4,490 deaths in 1984, producing a death rate of 18.9 per million persons in the United States. Aplastic anemia was the most common cause of death followed by thrombocytopenia, agranulocytosis, and hemolytic anemia. Death rates were high in young children, decreased from ages 5 to 34 years, and increased beyond 35 years. Based on estimates that 30 percent of the fatal blood dyscrasias were due to medications, it was calculated that 1,350 blood dyscrasia deaths in the United States in 1984 may have resulted from the use of medications. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Evaluation, Mortality, Patient outcomes, Blood cells, Blood diseases, Hematologic diseases

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