Further complicating the screening process is that several medications and a number of other modifiable factors may alter the results of the PSA lab test, leading to inaccurate readings that may overestimate or underestimate your risk of having prostate cancer found on a biopsy.

PSA is a liquid protein produced by the prostate that helps liquefy semen and is crucial to successful natural conception. The prostate normally secretes a small amount of PSA into the blood. The PSA lab test simply analyzes your blood to see how much PSA it contains. PSA is measured in nanograms (one-billionth of a gram) per milliliter (one-thousandth of a liter). The PSA lab test results are used to help assess a man’s need for a prostate biopsy, which is necessary to diagnose prostate cancer.

What Affects the PSA Lab Test and PSA Levels?

A number of factors are known to affect, to varying degrees, your PSA levels:

1. Age

PSA levels, on average, rise as men get older, possibly because the prostate leaks more PSA into the bloodstream.

2. Benign prostate enlargement (BPH)

BPH is a non-cancerous enlargement of the prostate that occurs with age. As men get older, the risk of BPH rises.

3. Prostatitis

This prostate disorder is an infection or inflammation of the prostate. It also can cause PSA elevations. (See our post Prostatitis Causes More Than Pain.)

4. Urinary tract infections

UTIs can affect PSA levels.

5. Prostate procedures

Examples include prostate surgery, cystoscopy, or a prostate biopsy. Your doctor will inform you about how long you should wait after one of these procedures before undergoing a PSA test.

6. Sex

Ejaculation can cause the prostate to transiently leak more PSA into the blood for about one to two days.

7. Prostate stimulation

Prostatic massage or a digital rectal exam may cause minor PSA elevations.

8. Riding a bicycle

Bicycle riding for a long distance may cause temporary spikes in PSA, possibly because the seat applies pressure on the prostate. You may have to abstain from bicycle riding at least 24 hours before having your PSA measured.

9. Obesity

Being very overweight can result in lower PSA levels.

10. Medications

A number of medications can trigger lower PSA results. The medications that can affect PSA results are:

• 5-alpha reductase inhibitors—dutasteride (Avodart) and finasteride (Proscar)—which can reduce PSA levels by about 50 percent in many men who take them.
• Some herbal and dietary supplements
• Aspirin
• Statins
• Thiazide diuretics

So, if you choose to undergo PSA screening, it’s important to understand these factors that can influence your PSA lab test results and inform your physician if any of them apply to you.

Don’t Rely on PSA Levels Alone

Given the inexact nature of the PSA lab test and the various factors that can influence its results, experts recommend that the test be used in conjunction with a digital rectal exam (DRE). During that procedure, a doctor inserts a gloved finger into the rectum to feel the prostate through the rectal wall and find any lumps or other abnormalities that might indicate cancer. If you decide to be screened, ask for both tests, because that combination is least likely to miss cancer. DRE is usually done after your blood test to prevent falsely raising PSA from the exam.

For more on prostate health, see our special report written by the editors of Men’s Health Advisor with Cleveland Clinic: Prostate Health.

The post What Can Skew a PSA Test? These 10 Factors Can Affect Your Numbers appeared first on University Health News.

Statins are known scientifically as 3-hydroxy- 3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitors. They remain the cornerstone of cholesterol-lowering drug therapy, and are among the most widely prescribed medications in the world. In fact, they’re so universally used that some people have joked that they should be added to the water supply. Statins can effectively lower LDL and total cholesterol, and they have some triglyceride lowering and anti-inflammatory effects. They also may modestly raise levels of beneficial HDL cholesterol. Yet, statins have important side effects that you need to know about.

How Statins Work

Statins block the action of an enzyme (HMG-CoA) responsible for cholesterol production in the liver. Most of the drugs are available in generic forms. Although they belong to the same drug class, not all statins are equal in terms of their potency and the degree to which they reduce LDL—atorvastatin and rosuvastatin are among the most potent statins, while fluvastatin and pravastatin are among the least potent.

Also, while most studies have found that statins can benefit people irrespective of age, some research has raised questions about how well the drugs work in relatively healthy older individuals. A study published in 2018 in BMJ that included 46,864 older adults followed a median of 5.6 years found that statin treatment offered no benefit in terms of primary prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease or death from all causes after age 74, except in people with diabetes. In those with diabetes, the benefits of statins waned after age 85 and disappeared in those in their 90s.

Helping More Than Just LDL

Statins may have many pleiotropic beneficial effects that are independent of the drugs’ intended action of LDL reduction.

Stabilizing Plaque

Some research suggests that high-intensity statin therapy may help stabilize coronary atherosclerotic plaques and make them less susceptible to rupture and cause heart attacks and strokes. In the 2018 PARADIGM trial, 1,255 people with no documented coronary artery disease underwent serial coronary computed tomographic angiography scans at an interval of two or more years. Researchers identified 1,079 coronary artery plaque lesions in 474 people not taking statins and 2,496 such lesions in 781 statin users.  Statin users had a slower progression of overall coronary atherosclerosis volume, lower annual incidence of high-risk plaques, and increased plaque calcification (believed by some researchers to help reduce the risk of plaque ruptures).

Other evidence suggests that statins also can slow—and potentially reverse— the progression of atherosclerotic plaque. The Study of Coronary Atheroma by Intravascular Ultrasound: Effect of Rosuvastatin Versus Atorvastatin (SATURN) compared the effects of 80 milligrams (mg) of atorvastatin versus 40 mg of rosuvastatin (the highest doses available) on plaque progression in 1,039 people with stable coronary artery disease. About 63 percent of people taking atorvastatin and 68 percent of those on rosuvastatin experienced a regression, or reversal, of their atherosclerosis.

Anti-Inflammatory

Statins have anti-inflammatory effects. Some studies have shown that even if you have a normal LDL level, you still may be at increased risk of cardiovascular events if you have elevated levels of inflammatory markers such as C-reactive protein (CRP). In one trial—Justification for the Use of Statins in Prevention: An Intervention Trial Evaluating Rosuvastatin (JUPITER)— investigators reported that rosuvastatin reduced the risk of heart attack, stroke, and death by 44 percent in more than 17,000 people with normal LDL but elevated CRP levels.

Blood Pressure

Statins aren’t thought of as antihypertensive medications, but recent research suggests that for many patients with high blood pressure, adding statins to their antihypertensive medication regimen may make a huge difference. In the Heart Outcomes Prevention Evaluation-3 (HOPE-3) trials, researchers reported that a combination of statin therapy and antihypertensive therapy significantly lowered the risk of cardiovascular events among intermediate risk patients with high blood pressure.

However, the researchers found that the outcomes with the combination of rosuvastatin and antihypertensive therapy (candesartan plus hydrochlorothiazide) were not significantly better compared with those of rosuvastatin alone, emphasizing the importance of the statin drug.

Tolerating Statins – Common Side Effects of Statins

While most patients have no problem taking statins, the drugs do have side effects just like any other medication. The side effects are more severe as the statin dose and potency increase. The most common statin side effects include headache and gastrointestinal symptoms, but other potential side effects include:

Myopathy

An estimated 5 to 20 percent of statin users report muscle pain and stiffness, or myopathy. Rarely, statin users may experience rhabdomyolysis, a potentially life-threatening muscle breakdown. Some statin users have taken coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) supplements to counter their myopathy. In a 2018 meta-analysis of 12 randomized trials involving 575 statin patients, researchers concluded that use of CoQ10 effectively eased statin-related muscle symptoms, reported the Journal of the American Heart Association.

Liver abnormalities

Statins can cause elevations in liver enzymes, suggesting potential liver damage. So, your doctor may recommend liver-function tests in certain situations, such as when you start statin therapy, change the dose or the type of statin, or if you begin taking other medications metabolized by the same pathway in the liver as statins.

Blood-sugar elevations

Studies have found an increase in blood sugar among statin users. These findings prompted the FDA to add to the statin safety information an advisory that the medications may slightly raise blood sugar, enough to push some patients’ glucose levels across the threshold of diabetes. Although two earlier meta-analyses found only a 9 to 13 percent increased risk of diabetes associated with statin use, a more recent study (involving 9,535 people over age 45) found that statin use was associated with a 38 percent higher risk of type 2 diabetes, particularly in those who were overweight/obese or had prediabetes (British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, online March 5, 2019). Interestingly, another study found that statin therapy was associated with a reduced risk of diabetic eye disease (retinopathy) and need for treatments for vision-threatening retinopathy in Taiwanese adults with type 2 diabetes and dyslipidemia (JAMA Ophthalmology, online Jan. 10, 2019).

Cognitive problems

Although some research suggests that statins may slow the progression of dementia and improve memory, as a rare side effect, some patients may experience cognitive problems, such as forgetfulness and mental “fogginess,” while taking a statin. Consequently, the FDA has added to the statin safety information a notice about possible cognitive problems associated with statin use. These side effects typically subside after stopping the medication. Overall, whether statins cause cognitive problems is unclear.

Cataracts

In a study involving nearly 7,000 patients, statin users were 9 percent more likely than non-users to develop cataracts. Another study found an association between statin use and a greater likelihood of cataracts requiring surgery. But, although these studies have identified an association between statins and cataracts, a causal relationship has not been established.

For more information about preventing and treating high cholesterol, purchase Managing Your Cholesterol. 

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On average, an American adult consumes approximately 3,500 milligrams (mg) of sodium per day, which is equivalent to about 1½ teaspoons of salt. The 2015–2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans advises that we consume less than 2,300 mg sodium per day. Individuals with prehypertension or hypertension, the Dietary Guidelines states, would reap even more benefits by reducing their sodium intake to 1,500 mg per day. It can be challenging to reduce sodium to recommended limits, but every step you take toward decreasing your intake can help in lowering blood pressure.

To trim sodium from your diet, you’ll need to do more than hide the salt shaker—only about 11 percent of our sodium intake comes from salt added during cooking or at the table. Packaged foods and restaurant foods account for the bulk of the sodium in our diets—almost 80 percent. While reading nutrition labels can help you scale back on sodium in packaged foods, it’s more difficult to determine amount of salt in restaurant meals. Chain restaurants’ websites typically list sodium amounts in their offerings; it’s worth browsing the Internet for that information.

Restrain Your “Salt Tooth”

Exposure to salt—even at an early age—may influence your preference for salty foods. Infants exposed to foods containing salt prior to six months of age had a greater preference for a salt solution, compared to infants who did not have early exposure to salty foods, according to a 2012 study of 61 infants (American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.) This preference for salty taste persisted into preschool, where children in the early salt exposure group as infants were more likely to lick salt from the surface of foods.

Experimental studies from the 1980s show that young children required 6 to 15 taste exposures before accepting a new food or flavor. And recent research shows that adults, too, require repeat exposures to new tastes—in this case, low-sodium versions of familiar foods—before they accept them.

Researchers examined the acceptance of low-salt soup among 37 adults (Food Quality and Preference, May 2012.) Participants were given either no-added-salt soup or the same soup with 280 milligrams of sodium per serving. After almost daily exposure for eight days, the no-added-salt group showed increased liking for the soup by the third exposure. In a June 2014 study published in the same journal, researchers studied the acceptance of low-sodium tomato juice among 83 subjects over 16 weeks. Results showed a shift in preference for lower salt in tomato juice after repeat exposure, concluding that salt preference can be altered by exposure alone, even in study subjects who consumed a high-sodium diet.

Since preference for less salty foods may literally be an acquired taste, strategies for lowering salt in your diet should include repeat exposures to low-salt food items. While you’re at it, try these 10 tips for slashing sodium:

1. Use fresh ingredients when you can. Less processing and packaging usually means less sodium.
2. Rinse canned foods, like tuna, beans, corn, and peas. It removes the lion’s share of sodium.
3. Don’t add salt to pasta or potatoes during cooking. Save the small amount of salt for the table, where it has the biggest taste impact.
4. Use coarse grain salt, like kosher salt. Less surface area on salt granules translates into less sodium than regular table salt.
5. Don’t expect sea salt to provide less sodium. The same goes for finely ground gourmet salts, whether from France or the Himalayas.
6. Substitute acidic flavors, like fresh lemon or lime juice or lemon zest, for salt. It’s not a complete taste substitute, but it helps.
7. Try salt substitutes. They typically contain potassium, instead of sodium, but they can leave a bitter aftertaste. Whether you taste the bitter is genetic. You won’t know if you’re a “bitter taster” until you try.
8. Watch out for the sodium content of condiments, such as soy sauce, barbecue sauce, ketchup, relishes, pickles, bottled marinades, and salad dressings. Be wary even of reduced-sodium products.
9. Know that adjusting to the taste of a lower-sodium diet takes time. Cut back gradually to allow your taste buds to get used to it.
10. Read labels, ask questions, and choose carefully. Remember that most of the sodium in your diet comes from processed, packaged, and restaurant foods.

For more information on heart-healthy eating tips, order Heart-Healthy Diet from UniversityHealthNews.com

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To help you play a game of dietary hide and seek, consider these ideas for giving popular dishes a nutrient-boosting makeover:

Pancakes: The next time you’re whipping up flapjack batter, consider stirring in grated carrot. When paired with spices like cinnamon and a touch of maple syrup, it will taste like a stack of carrot cake.

Oatmeal: Pureed pumpkin or even butternut squash can add natural sweetness to a pot of steamy oats and make it even creamier.

Yogurt: Forget the added sugars in flavored varieties. Add healthier sweetness to yogurt with ready-to-go chia fruit jam. Blend together 2 cups berries or cherries with 3 tablespoons chia seeds; place in a bowl and set aside for 2 hours to thicken. Stir jam into bowls of yogurt.

Salads: Both veggie- and grain-based salads can almost always benefit from the sweetness that berries, sliced apples, or orange segments can lend them. Or stir up a berry-infused vinaigrette.

Pasta: Embrace the culinary trend of swapping out starchy pasta for noodles made from vegetables. An inexpensive spiralizer can transform everything from sweet potato to zucchini to butternut squash into low-calorie, nutrient-packed veggie noodles ready to welcome all sorts of traditional pasta toppings.

Smoothies: Not just for fruits, smoothies also offer a perfect opportunity to drink some vegetables. When paired with ingredients such as frozen berries, tangy yogurt, and creamy nut butters, leafy greens like spinach and baby kale can be blitzed into a smoothie without it tasting like a salad.

Chocolate baked goods: To make items like brownies and chocolate cake less of a guilty pleasure, incorporate beets, sweet potatoes, or even avocado puree. They’ll add fudgy consistency and let you cut back on the amount of fat and sugar called for in the recipe.

For more information on heart-healthy eating tips, purchase Heart-Healthy Diet from University Health News.

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If you aren’t taking antihypertensive medications and your blood pressure is elevated only when measured in your doctor’s office or another clinical setting, you have white-coat hypertension. The term “white-coat effect” is used for people on antihypertensive therapy who have high blood pressure when measured in the office but not outside the office. The American Heart Association (AHA) notes that 15 to 30 percent of people with blood pressure elevations measured in a doctor’s office have white-coat hypertension, named because of the white coats many health-care professionals wear.

In the past, white-coat hypertension was viewed as a relatively harmless finding; however, some evidence suggests that people with white-coat hypertension may advance to sustained hypertension more rapidly than those with normal office and out-of-office blood pressure readings, and that white-coat-hypertension indeed may be cause for concern. Some experts now believe that the white-coat effect is indicative of blood pressure that frequently becomes elevated at times of stress, which over time damages blood vessels and leads to full-blown hypertension and increases cardiovascular risk.

Study Suggests White-Coat Hypertension Is Not So Innocuous

Left untreated, white-coat hypertension may increase the risk of cardiovascular events and death, according to a recent study in Annals of Internal Medicine. Researchers analyzed data from 27 studies involving a total of 25,786 people with untreated white-coat hypertension or treated white-coat effect and 34,487 people with normal blood pressure. The study participants underwent in-office and out-of-office blood pressure monitoring and were followed an average of three to 19 years. Compared with people who had normal blood pressure, the participants with untreated white-coat-hypertension faced a 36 percent increased risk of cardiovascular events, a 33 percent greater risk of death from any cause, and more than double the risk of death from cardiovascular causes, the study found. No significant association was found for people with treated white-coat effect, however.

Masked Hypertension: The Other Side of the Coin

On the flip side of the white-coat phenomenon is masked hypertension, or blood pressure readings that are normal in a clinical setting but high elsewhere. The AHA notes that masked hyperten­sion may occur in about 15 to 30 percent of adults whose office blood pressure readings are in the normal range. As with white-coat hypertension, masked hypertension can make diagnosing hypertension more difficult. In one study, researchers found that 16 percent of the participants with normal clinic blood pressure had masked hypertension found on ambulatory monitoring. Masked hypertension was more common in men than women, people with prehypertension, and younger, normal-weight participants versus older, overweight people, according to the study.

Also, like white-coat hypertension, masked hypertension may portend increased cardiovascular risk, and some studies suggest that it’s associated with an incidence of cardiovascular events comparable to that among people with sustained hypertension, says the AHA.

Based on these study findings, if you have white-coat hypertension or masked hypertension, talk with your physician about 24-hour home blood pressure monitoring. This testing can help determine whether your blood pressure is elevated only at the doctor’s office or outside the office—or whether it’s persistently high and requires medical treatment.

To learn more about high blood pressure readings, symptoms, risk factors and treatment, purchase Managing Your Blood Pressure from University Health News.

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But that doesn’t give you a free pass to be sedentary while you’re self-quarantined. Although you can’t hit the gym, you can continue an effective workout program in and around your home.

After all, you still need aerobic exercise to help your heart and lungs, as well as resistance exercises to maintain your musculature and support your bones and joints. Staying physically active can have positive effects on your mental state and, at least temporarily, take your mind off the COVID-19 concerns. Plus, if you can exercise outdoors, you can combat cabin fever and keep from going stir crazy by being cooped up for a lengthy period.

Importantly, exercise can help boost your immune system, which is vital to fight off infections like COVID-19.

So, until you can return to the gym, consider these ways to stay active and reap the many benefits of physical activity in and around your home.

Cardio Options

Aerobic exercise can encompass activities as simple as taking a brisk walk or jog around your neighborhood, a park, a hiking trail, or along the beach. Just follow recommended protocols for social distancing (e.g., keeping at least 6 feet of space between you and others). Many outdoor activity areas remain open, but check with your local parks and recreation department to be sure.

At home, try walking/jogging on a treadmill, or repeatedly climb the stairs for a good workout. Or, you can ride out the pandemic on a bicycle or stationary bike.

If you have no such equipment, try stand-in-place cardio exercises like these that work multiple areas of your body while elevating your heart rate and respiration:

● High-step marching/walking in place: Alternate raising your left and right knees toward your chest, keeping your elbows bent and your arms pumping with each movement.

● Jumping jacks: Stand with your hands at your sides and your legs together. Jump and spread your legs slightly past the width of your shoulders while raising your arms overhead. Return to the start position and repeat.

● Lateral shuffle: Stand with your feet hip-width apart, your knees slightly bent, and your arms bent at your sides. Push off with your left foot and jump about 1 to 2 feet to your right, and then immediately jump back to your left.

And, since you’re stuck at home and spring is approaching, now’s the time to get busy with gardening and other household projects, all of which can keep you physically active.

Whatever you do, aim for a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise (such as brisk walking, biking and swimming) each week, or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity (e.g., running, jogging, and brisk walking on hilly terrain) weekly.

Keep Up Your Strength

At home or anywhere else, you have the basics for building muscle: gravity and your body weight. From push-ups to planks, squats to sit-ups, and leg extensions to lunges, you can target all the major muscles of your arms, legs, chest, shoulders and the core muscles of your abdomen, back, and pelvis using nothing more than your weight as resistance.

But, to increase the intensity of your strength training, add some resistance—and you don’t need expensive weight machines. For instance, you might purchase a set of dumbbells, barbells, or kettlebells in varying weights for home use.

Or, as a more affordable and (literally) flexible option, you can buy a decent set of stretchy resistance bands with varying tension levels for about $25. The bands are highly portable, practical, and adaptable, allowing you to modify your workout on the fly simply by changing your movements and/or increasing the resistance by shortening or lengthening the band.

Whatever you choose, try to do at least two to three sets of 12 to 15 repetitions of each resistance exercise on two to three days a week. Wait two to three minutes between sets, and give each muscle group 48 hours between training sessions to recover.

Take Precautions

COVID-19 virus is believed to spread through close contact with other people, through respiratory droplets from coughing or sneezing, or potentially by touching objects or surfaces contaminated with the virus.

Experts do not believe COVID-19 is spread through perspiration. Nevertheless, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched surfaces daily to help prevent the spread of the virus.

So, before and after your workout, wash your hands, and wipe off any mats, barbells, resistance bands, or other home exercise equipment—using a disinfectant wipe with at least a 70 percent alcohol content—especially if you share the equipment with anyone in your household. In doing so, you can keep exercising, maintain your wellbeing, and minimize your risk of infection.

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A 2014 study found that people who got 17 to 21 percent of their total calories from added sugar were nearly 40 percent more likely to die from heart disease than those who got only around 8 percent of their total calories from sugar.

Another culprit is the American weakness for fast food. Research shows that the more frequently you eat fast food:

• The more you tend to weigh
• The higher your BMI (body mass index)
• The more likely you are to be overweight or obese
• The more likely you are to develop insulin resistance (which makes you gain even more weight and increases the risk of diabetes)
• The more calories you tend to consume overall
• The more your diet tends to be full of foods that are calorie-dense (higher average calories per weight of food)
• The more total fat and saturated fat you tend to consume
• The more total carbohydrates, sugar, and sugar-sweetened beverages you tend to consume
• The more sodium you tend to consume
• The lower your diet tends to be in vitamins and mineralsthe less fiber you tend to consume
• The lower your diet tends to be in fruits and vegetables

Don’t blame just the triple-bacon cheeseburgers. Sodas draw a bead on your heart, too. Beverages sweetened with high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) increase risk factors of cardiovascular disease, according to researchers from the University of California, Davis.

In a study that divided participants into four groups consuming beverages with varying doses of HFCS, researchers found that risk factors of heart disease (blood lipoproteins, triglycerides, and uric acid) increased along with the dose of HFCS after just 15 days.

Similarly, health experts are increasingly concerned that the easy availability of highly processed foods at grocery and convenience stores is contributing to the ever-increasing rates of obesity. Researchers have defined three types of food processing:

• Type 1 foods are unprocessed. Example: an orange in its natural state
• Type 2 foods are type 1 foods whose nutritional properties have been reduced because of processing. Examples: bread or canned vegetables as well as ingredients like fats, oils, sugars, flours, and starches.
• Type 3 foods are “ultra-processed” foods made by combining types 1 and 2. Examples include fast foods (think cheeseburger, fries, and orange soda).

Often, Type 2 and Type 3 foods lack nutritional value. Many experts believe the greater the consumption of Type 2 and 3 foods, the greater the risk for obesity and chronic diseases. Type 3 (ultra-processed) foods are usually more palatable because of added ingredients, like sugar, fat, and salt. Diets made up of types 1 and 2 foods are far superior nutritionally to diets made up of types 2 and 3.

Writing in the July 2016 issue of Journal of the American College of Nutrition, researchers also concluded that most important risk factors for developing Alzheimer’s disease (AD) are connected to diet.

Eating a Western diet characterized by the consumption of three of the most important dietary risk factors for AD—meat, sweets, and high-fat dairy products—may increase the risk of this most common type of dementia, which affects 42 million people globally. People living in the U.S. have about a 4 percent risk of developing AD. Reducing meat consumption could significantly reduce risk of the disease.

Food choices wreak havoc on the brain in other ways and can lead to a vicious cycle of anxiety, angst, mood swings, brain fog, and other depression symptoms. Two reasons:

Carbohydrates and sugars. Eating foods high in sugar and carbohydrates such as doughnuts, cereal, candy, hot dogs and sodas cause a temporary increase in serotonin, the feel-good brain chemical that eases your tension, calms your mood, and makes you happier. Since eating these foods has an anti-anxiety effect (albeit a short-lasting one), they often become “comfort foods.” Think about it: When you’re feeling depressed or stressed out, do you often crave breads or a chocolate fix to help you feel better? While these foods indeed provide a temporary euphoric feeling, on the flip side, sweets and carbs also induce a quick and shocking crash; that is, soon after serotonin is temporarily increased, it suddenly drops. This dramatic lowering of serotonin leads to feelings of sleepiness, hostility, anxiety, and depression.

Vegetable oils. You may remember the old anti-narcotics commercials—in the days before marijuana was legalized in a number of states—that showed eggs frying in a pan along with the stark voice-over warning, “This is your brain on drugs.” Most people would never consider that eating French fries or onion rings would produce some of the same effects as smoking marijuana. But according to new research, the concept isn’t so far-fetched. A study conducted by the National Institutes of Health revealed that the human body uses a vegetable oil ingredient to produce endocannabinoids, natural compounds similar to the psychoactive components of pot. These endocannabinoids stimulate appetite, akin to the infamous marijuana “munchies.” Ingesting large amounts of soy, corn, and other polyunsaturated fry oils may leave you feeling foggy-brained, distracted, and tired—and craving more doughnuts and fries.

For more information on heart-healthy eating tips, order Heart-Healthy Diet from UniversityHealthNews.com

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American Academy of Sleep Medicine
aasm.org
630-737-9700
2510 N. Frontage Rd.
Darien, IL 60561

American College of Sports Medicine
acsm.org
317-637-9200
401 W. Michigan St.
Indianapolis, IN 46202-3233

American Diabetes Association
diabetes.org
800-342-2383
2451 Crystal Dr., Suite 900
Arlington, VA 22202

American Heart Association
heart.org
800-242-8721
7272 Greenville Ave.
Dallas, TX 75231

American Lung Association
lung.org
800-586-4872
55 W. Wacker Dr., Suite 1150
Chicago, IL 60601

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
cdc.gov
800-232-4636
1600 Clifton Rd.
Atlanta, GA 30329-4027

Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2015–2020
health.gov/dietaryguidelines/2015/guidelines
240-453-8281

International Society of Hypertension
ish-world.com
Phone (UK): +44 (0) 20 8977 7997
ISH Secretariat

MyPlate
www.choosemyplate.gov

U.S. Department of Agriculture
cnpp.usda.gov
Center for Nutrition Policy
and Promotion
3101 Park Center Dr.
Alexandria, VA 22302-1594

National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
nationalacademies.org
202-334-2000
500 Fifth St., NW
Washington, DC 20001

National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health
nccih.nih.gov
888-644-6226
9000 Rockville Pike
Bethesda, MD 20892

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
nhlbi.nih.gov
301-496-3245
Bldg 31
31 Center Dr.
Bethesda, MD 20892

National Institute on Aging
nia.nih.gov
800-222-2225
Bldg 31, Rm 5C27
31 Center Dr., MSC 2292
Bethesda, MD 20892

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
niddk.nih.gov
800-860-8747
9000 Rockville Pike
Bethesda, MD 20892

National Institutes of Health
nih.gov
301-496-4000
9000 Rockville Pike
Bethesda, MD 20892

National Sleep Foundation
sleepfoundation.org
703-243-1697
1010 N. Glebe Rd., Suite 420
Arlington, VA 22201

National Stroke Association
stroke.org
800-787-6537
9707 E. Easter Ln., Suite B
Centennial, CO 80112

Office of Dietary Supplements
ods.od.nih.gov
301-435-2920

Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
health.gov
U.S. Department of Health
and Human Services
1101 Wootton Parkway,
Suite LL100
Rockville, MD 20852

Physical Activity Guidelines
health.gov/paguidelines
240-453-8281

Society of Behavioral Sleep Medicine
behavioralsleep.org
859-312-8880
1522 Player Dr.
Lexington, KY 40511

U.S. Food and Drug Administration
fda.gov
888-463-6332
10903 New Hampshire Ave.
Silver Spring, MD 20993

University Heath News
universityhealthnews.com

Whole Grains Council (Oldways)
wholegrainscouncil.org
617-421-5500
266 Beacon St., Suite 1
Boston, MA 02116

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acute coronary syndrome: A term used to describe situations (angina or heart attack) in which atherosclerotic plaque accumulation and/or blood clots narrow or block one or more coronary arteries and cause inadequate blood flow to the heart muscle.

aerobic exercise: Physical activity that increases the intake and use of oxygen and improves the cardiovascular and respiratory systems. Sometimes called endurance exercise. Examples include running, brisk walking, and swimming, among others.

angina: Heart-related chest pain, characterized by a squeezing or heaviness in the chest.

aldosterone: A hormone that prompts the kidneys to excrete more sodium and water into the bloodstream.

alpha blockers: A type of drug that relaxes smooth muscle in the blood vessels, allowing for easier blood flow and lower blood pressure.

ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM): A recommended method of confirming a hypertension diagnosis using a blood pressure monitor, worn 24 hours, that provides a broader, longer-term picture of a person’s day-to-day blood pressure.

aneurysm: An abnormal bulge in a blood vessel caused by disease or weakness of the blood vessel wall.

angiotensin: A hormone that is converted in the bloodstream to angiotensin II, the main hormone that constricts blood vessels; also triggers the adrenal glands to produce aldosterone.

angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB): A type of drug that blocks the hormone angiotensin II from binding to receptors in blood vessels, thus preventing blood vessel constriction and reducing blood pressure.

aorta: The large, main artery exiting the heart. All blood pumped out of the left ventricle travels through the aorta on its way to other parts of the body.

arteries: Elastic blood vessels that transport oxygenated blood away from the heart and to the heart muscle (coronary arteries) or that carry deoxygenated blood to the lungs (pulmonary arteries).

arterioles: Tiny blood vessels that branch off arteries that help manage the flow of blood into capillaries.

atherosclerosis: Narrowing of the arteries due to an accumulation of fatty deposits and plaque.

atrial fibrillation (A-fib): A condition in which the upper chambers of the heart—the atria—beat erratically, causing blood to pool in the atria. Clots that form in the atria can be expelled into the bloodstream, travel to the brain, and cause a stroke. A-fib is a leading stroke risk factor.

autonomic nervous system: A part of the nervous system that, among its many functions, controls your heart rate and regulates the width of your blood vessels.

beta blockers: A type of drug that blocks the effects of the hormone adrenaline, causing your heart to beat more slowly and with less force.

blood pressure: A measure of the force of blood pressing against the walls of your arteries, measured in millimeters of mercury—abbreviated mmHg.

body mass index (BMI): A BMI of 18.5 to 24.9 is considered healthy weight, 25 to 29.9 is considered overweight, and 30 or higher is considered obese.

calcium channel blockers (CCB): A type of drug that prevents calcium from entering the muscle cells of the artery, thereby relaxing and dilating the blood vessel and reducing blood pressure.

capillaries: The smallest of the body’s blood vessels that deliver nutrients and oxygen to the body’s cells and remove wastes like carbon dioxide from the cells.

cardiac output: The amount of blood pumped from your heart each minute.

central-acting adrenergic inhibitors: A type of drug that blocks signals from the brain that prompt the nervous system to increase heart rate and constrict blood vessels, allowing for a reduction in your heart’s workload, easier blood flow, and decreased blood pressure.

circadian rhythms: Physiologic changes that follow a roughly 24-hour cycle.

congestive heart failure: A term used to describe heart failure when blood inadequately pumped from the ventricles can back up, or congest, in the lungs, abdomen, and lower extremities.

coronary artery disease: A condition caused by the buildup of fatty plaques in the artery walls that narrows the blood vessels and prevents enough oxygen from reaching the heart muscle. It is the most common type of heart disease and the leading cause of death in the U.S. in both men and women.

DASH diet: The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension eating plan, high in fruits, vegetables, and grains, and low in meat, saturated fat, sweets, and sodium. Study results suggest that you can lower high blood pressure with this eating plan.

diastolic blood pressure: The bottom number in your blood pressure reading. It indicates the pressure that blood is placing on your arterial walls as your heart rests between beats.

diastolic heart failure: A type of heart failure in which the heart contracts normally but the ventricles do not relax enough to allow adequate blood to enter the heart during normal filling.

elevated blood pressure: A systolic blood pressure of 120 to 129 mmHg and a diastolic blood pressure of less than 80 mmHg, according to American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology guidelines.

essential hypertension: Also known as primary hypertension, accounts for about 90 percent of all hypertension and has no single identifiable cause.

gestational hypertension: A type of hypertension that occurs in pregnant women who develop high blood pressure after the 20th week of pregnancy.

glomerular filtration rate (GFR): A measure of your kidney function, determined by measuring blood levels of a waste product (creatinine) and calculating that reading with your age, gender, and race.

heart attack: Known clinically as myocardial infarction, a sudden blockage of blood flow in one or more coronary arteries that causes injury or death to some of the heart muscle.

heart failure (congestive heart failure): A chronic, progressive disease in which the heart muscle weakens and can no longer pump blood well enough to meet the body’s needs.

heart rate: The number of times your heart beats in one minute (pulse).

hemorrhagic stroke: A stroke caused by the leakage of blood out of a blood vessel into the brain.

hypertension: Also known as high blood pressure and “the silent killer,” hypertension is a major risk factor for stroke and heart attack, as well as other disorders.

hypertension stage 1: Systolic blood pressure of 130 to 139 mmHg or diastolic pressure of 80 to 89 mmHg, according to American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology guidelines.

hypertension stage 2: Systolic blood pressure of 140 mmHg or higher or diastolic pressure of 90 mmHg or higher, according to American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology guidelines.

hypertensive crisis: A sharp, rapid rise in blood pressure to levels of 180 mmHg or higher systolic and 120 mmHg or higher diastolic; requires immediate medical attention. Experts recognize two types of hypertensive crisis: hypertensive urgency and hypertensive emergency (very high blood pressure accompanied by symptoms of target organ damage).

hypotension: A low blood pressure that may cause symptoms such as dizziness or lightheadedness, fainting (syncope), fatigue, depression, breathing problems, blurry vision, concentration difficulties, nausea, and unusual thirst.

ischemic stroke: The most common type of stroke, occurring when a blood clot forms and blocks blood flow in the brain.

labile hypertension: A term sometimes used to describe hypertension characterized by wide fluctuations in blood pressure readings.

left atrium: An upper chamber of the heart that contracts and pushes blood through the mitral valve into the left ventricle.

left ventricle: The heart’s main pumping chamber that pushes blood out through the aorta to the network of arteries, capillaries, and veins that channel blood throughout your body.

left ventricular hypertrophy: The thickening, and possibly enlargement, of the wall of the left ventricle.

lipids: Fats or fat-like substances. Lipid levels in the bloodstream are commonly measured to evaluate cardiovascular health risks. Lipids include LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, and triglycerides.

malignant hypertension: A relatively rare medical emergency characterized by a rapid, severe, and dangerous rise in blood pressure.

masked hypertension: Blood pressure readings that are normal in the doctor’s office but high in an ambulatory setting outside the office.

metabolic syndrome: Having three or more of the following conditions: high triglycerides, low HDL (good) cholesterol, high blood pressure, elevated blood glucose, and a large waist circumference (abdominal obesity). Metabolic syndrome is associated with insulin resistance and an increased risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

myocardial infarction: The medical term for a heart attack.

normal (blood pressure): A systolic blood pressure of less than 120 mmHg and a diastolic pressure of less than 80 mmHg, according to American Heart Association and American College of Cardiology guidelines.

obstructive sleep apnea (OSA): A disorder characterized by snoring and pauses in breathing during sleep. The tissues at the back of the throat essentially collapse, obstructing airflow through the airway. Left untreated, OSA can contribute to hypertension, heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.

orthostatic hypotension: A sudden drop in blood pressure when you stand up from a prone or seated position; also known as postural hypotension.

peripheral adrenergic inhibitor: A type of drug that reduces levels of certain chemicals to slow down the activity of the nervous system and, in doing so, lowers heart rate, dilates blood vessels, and reduces blood pressure.

peripheral artery disease (PAD): The accumulation of fatty, atherosclerotic plaque that narrows arteries supplying blood to the legs, arms, stomach, and head.

plaque: An accumulation of cholesterol, calcium, and other products inside the walls of blood vessels. Over time, plaques can become calcified and hard. The buildup of plaque results in “hardening of the arteries,” or atherosclerosis.

prehypertension: A term formerly used to describe systolic blood pressure of 120 to 139 mmHg or a diastolic pressure of 80 to 89 mmHg. The latest guidelines from the American Heart Association and American College of Cardiology replaced the prehypertension range with two categories: elevated blood pressure and hypertension stage 1.

pulmonary arteries: Blood vessels that transport deoxygenated blood from the heart’s right ventricle to the lungs to be oxygenated. The main pulmonary artery splits into the left and right pulmonary arteries, which carry blood to each corresponding lung.

renin: An enzyme created by the kidneys that helps to produce the hormone angiotensin.

renin inhibitors: A type of drug that blocks the enzyme (renin) that leads to production of angiotensin and, subsequently, angiotensin II, the main hormone that constricts blood vessels and increases blood pressure.

resistance training: A form of exercise that involves movement or attempted movement against resistance (or load). Also called strength training.

resistant hypertension: Blood pressure that remains in the hypertensive range (130/80 mmHg or higher) despite optimal doses of at least three blood-pressure-lowering medications from different drug classes, or if you need four or more drugs to control your blood pressure.

right atrium: An upper chamber of the heart that receives oxygen-depleted blood from the inferior and superior vena cavae (the two largest veins in the body).

right ventricle: A lower chamber of the heart that pumps blood through the pulmonary artery to the lungs, where the blood is re-oxygenated.

Salty Six: A list of popular foods, created by the American Heart Association, that can drive up your sodium intake. The Salty Six are breads and rolls, lunch meats, frozen pizza, canned soups, canned vegetables, and chicken.

secondary hypertension: High blood pressure that is attributable to a medical condition or other specific cause.

sphygmomanometer: The blood pressure cuff a health-care professional uses to measure blood pressure. (Pronounced “sfig-mo-muh-NOM-i-ter.”)

stable angina: Cardiac-related chest pain that occurs only with exertion or other stresses (emotion, cold) but is not present at rest.

stroke: A condition in which blood supply to brain tissue is cut off. There are two types of stroke. Ischemic stroke, accounting for roughly 87 percent of all strokes, occurs when a blood vessel(s) is blocked by a clot, disrupting the flow of blood to brain tissue. Hemorrhagic stroke occurs when an aneurysm or blood vessel wall bursts. The subsequent leakage of blood causes swelling and pressure and damages brain tissue.

systolic blood pressure (the top number): A measurement of the amount of force placed on your arterial walls when your heart beats.

systolic heart failure: A type of heart failure that occurs when the left ventricle does not contract forcefully enough to pump sufficient blood to the body.

transient ischemic attack (TIA): Brief, temporary blockages of blood vessels in or leading to the brain; also known as “mini-stroke.”

unstable angina: Heart-related chest pain resulting from a ruptured, unstable plaque and/or blood clots that partially or completely block a coronary artery.

vascular dementia: Dementia caused by blood vessel damage in the brain; it is the second-most-common form of dementia after Alzheimer’s disease.

vasodilator: A type of drug that causes the arteries to dilate, allowing for easier blood flow and lower blood pressure.

vegan: A dietary pattern that eliminates all animal products, including dairy, eggs, and honey.

vegetarian: An eating pattern that eliminates meat but still may include dairy and eggs. Vegetarians who consume fish are called pescatarians.

white-coat effect: Elevated blood pressure that occurs only when measured in your doctor’s office or another clinical setting; also known as white-coat syndrome or white-coat hypertension.

whole grains: Grains that contain all the essential parts and naturally occurring nutrients of the entire grain seed—the bran, germ, and endosperm.

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After all, as you now know, they’re more than just a reading on a blood pressure monitor. They mark your position on a continuum of cardiovascular risk, reflecting your likelihood of suffering a heart attack, stroke, and a host of other complications. They also help determine your need for blood pressure-lowering medications, which may become a part of your everyday life for years to come.

So, keep an eye on your blood pressure by having it checked periodically at your doctor’s office, and ask about out-of-office measurements that can help fine-tune your blood pressure picture. From there, with your doctor’s guidance, identify your ideal blood pressure target and the best ways to achieve it. Start by making positive lifestyle changes, such as following a heart-healthy, low-sodium diet, staying physically active, improving your sleep quality, and managing stress. Then, if your blood pressure and risk level necessitate it, work with your physician on an antihypertensive therapy regimen you can follow, one that can help you reach your blood pressure goals while minimizing adverse side effects.

It’s time to take ownership of your blood pressure and your cardiovascular health. Speak with all your providers about how best to manage your blood pressure, using this special report as a guide in asking the right questions and engaging in discussions with your medical team. We hope this report will empower you to move your blood pressure numbers in the right direction—and keep them there.

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