CARDIOVASCULAR HORIZON SCANNING Volume 6 Issue 1

2014 evidence-based guideline for the management of high blood pressure

Source: JAMA online first

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Date of publication: 18th December 2013

Publication type: Practice Guidelines

In a nutshell: The panel members appointed to the Eighth Joint National Committee have developed Evidence Statements for treatment of high blood pressure based on a systematic review of the literature. This report recommends treatment thresholds, goals and drug treatment strategies in the management of hypertension in adults.

Length of publication: 14 pages

Some important notes: Please contact your local NHS library if you cannot access the full text. Follow this link to find your local NHS library.

Acknowledgement: The US National Heart, Lung, Blood Institute (NHLBI)

Laying money on the line leads to healthier food choices over time

Source: The Association for Psychological Science

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Date of publication: 6th January 2014

Publication type: Press Release

In a nutshell: A study in South Africa involving over 6,500 families has found that the participants were more likely to choose healthy options in the supermarket if they risked losing their monthly healthy food discount. Some of the households enrolled in the programme volunteered to commit to a target of increasing their healthy food purchases by 5% over six months, using the possible loss of their monthly discount as a motivational tool. Other households chose not to risk their cash-back discount. At the end of the study, only the families who had risked their credit card cash-back increased their healthy food purchases.

Length of publication: 1 webpage

Some important notes: Please contact your local NHS library if you cannot access the full text. Follow this link to find your local NHS library.

Acknowledgement: The abstract of the original research can be found in the journal Psychological Science.

Association between change in daily ambulatory activity and cardiovascular events

Source: The Lancet early online

Follow this link for the abstract

Date of publication: 20th December 2013

Publication type: Journal Article

In a nutshell: The NAVIGATOR trial involved 9306 participants with impaired glucose tolerance, who either had cardiovascular disease or a cardiovascular risk factor. They were followed up for cardiovascular events for an average of six years, and their ambulatory activity was assessed by pedometer at baseline and twelve months. This authors of this study assessed the data from the NAVIGATOR trial and found that every 2000 step per day increment in ambulatory activity at baseline (roughly equivalent to 20 minutes a day of moderately-paced walking) was associated with a 10% lower risk of a cardiovascular event. Furthermore, each 2000 step per day change from baseline to 12 months was associated with an additional 8% difference in the cardiovascular event rate.
The authors of the NAVIGATOR trial have published a comment on this study

Length of publication: 8 pages

Some important notes: Please contact your local NHS library if you cannot access the full text. Follow this link to find your local NHS library.

Dietary fibre intake and risk of cardiovascular disease

Source: BMJ

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Date of publication: 19th December 2013

Publication type: Journal Article

In a nutshell: This systematic review and meta-analysis examined 22 studies associating fibre intake with primary prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD) or coronary heart disease (CHD). The authors concluded that greater dietary fibre intake is associated with lower risk of CVD and CHD.

Length of publication: 12 pages

Some important notes: Please contact your local NHS library if you cannot access the full text. Follow this link to find your local NHS library.

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