Month: March 2013

An online tool can help people lower their blood pressure, researchers report. The program, called Heart360, is a free online tracking tool created by the American Heart Association. In the study, 298 people with high blood pressure were randomly divided into 2 groups. One group used Heart360. They uploaded data to the tool from their home blood pressure monitors. This information was sent to pharmacists, who were trained to monitor and adjust people’s medicines. The second group received usual care from their doctors. They also received pamphlets on managing high blood pressure, diet and exercise. After 6 months, 54% of the Heart360 group had lowered blood pressure to their target levels. About 35% of people in the usual-care group reached their goals. The differences were even wider for people with diabetes or kidney problems.

Nearly one-third of children with ADHD may also have it as adults, a study suggests. The study focused on 5,718 children. All were born in the area of Rochester, Minn., between 1976 and 1982. Researchers had access to medical records of 367 who were diagnosed with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) as children. Of that group, 232 agreed to be part of a follow-up study in their late 20s. About 29% still had symptoms of ADHD. More than half — 57% — also had another mental health issue. That compares with 35% of adults from the larger study who never had ADHD. Adults who had childhood ADHD also were twice as likely as others to have thought about or attempted suicide. The most common mental health issue in the ADHD group was alcohol abuse. The next two were antisocial personality disorder and other substance abuse.

Five mental health disorders may be more alike than they seem — at a genetic level. That’s the conclusion of a study published February 28. Researchers from 19 countries took part. Together, they analyzed the genomes — the total genetic code — of more than 61,000 people. Some of them had autism, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, bipolar disorder, major depression or schizophrenia. Others did not have any of these conditions. Variations in 4 areas of the genetic code were linked to all 5 disorders. Researchers cited 2 specific genes as a special concern. These genes regulate the flow of calcium in brain cells. This is a key part of how neurons signal each other. Researchers suggested that changes in genes could be one way that people become more vulnerable to these disorders. Usually, more than one change would have to occur for someone to develop a condition, they said.

The death of a brother or sister, especially from a heart attack, may increase your own risk of heart-attack death, a study finds. The study focused on 1.6 million Swedes, ages 40 to 69. Among women, those who lost a sibling were 25% more likely to die of a heart attack in the next several years than women whose siblings were living. For men, the increased risk was 15%. If the sibling died of a heart attack, women’s own risk of heart-attack death jumped 62%. This risk doubled among men who lost a sibling to a heart attack. The increased risk began 4 to 6 years after a sibling’s death for women and in 2 to 6 years after for men. Researchers don’t know why heart attack risk might be higher after a sibling’s death. The study does not show that one caused the other. Of course, siblings share many genes.