Having reduced cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) is as harmful to survival as coronary artery disease, smoking cigarettes or diabetes, suggests a retrospective study published Oct. 19 in JAMA Network Open.

Good oral health—in particular a lack of periodontal disease—has been linked to lower systolic blood pressure and a better chance at successful antihypertensive therapy in patients with high BP, according to research published Oct. 22 in Hypertension.

Bariatric surgery may help reduce cardiovascular events beyond normal treatment with medication and lifestyle modifications for patients with severe obesity and type 2 diabetes, suggests an observational study published in JAMA.

A year after its launch, the American Heart Association and American Medical Association’s joint Target: BP Recognition Program, an effort to reduce the rate of uncontrolled hypertension in the U.S., has reached 802 members, the organizations announced this week.

Beta hydroxybutyrate—a ketone body produced in the liver—could be key to regulating hypertension in heart patients who aren’t able to exercise, according to research out of the University of Toledo.

Children who eat breakfasts high in energy but low in nutrition are likely to see higher cholesterol levels, increased insulin resistance and an elevated risk for cardiovascular complications in the future, according to research out of Spain.

CMS is reconsidering its reimbursement practices for ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) at the request of the American Heart Association and the American Medical Association, which authored a joint letter urging the agency to cover ABPM for a broader range of indications.

Three men with type 2 diabetes used intermittent fasting to lose weight, lower their blood sugar levels and reverse their dependence on insulin treatment, according to a case study report published in The BMJ.