Researchers are cautioning physicians to be wary when prescribing antibiotics to hypertensive patients after a study published in Physiological Genomics found individual genetic makeup can significantly affect how a person’s blood pressure reacts to common drugs like vancomycin and minocycline.

A new study in JAMA Cardiology uncovered a set of genetic variants that are almost exclusive to people of African ancestry and may explain their higher risk of adverse events related to dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM).

The American Heart Association (AHA) and American Stroke Association this week pledged $6.5 million to a three-year initiative to improve Nebraska’s stroke response system, the Omaha World-Herald has reported.

Simply cranking up the thermostat a few degrees may help people manage their blood pressure, suggests new research in the Journal of Hypertension.

New research published this month in Experimental Physiology suggests just 10 minutes of sitting or lying down could be enough to impair blood vessel function in the lower legs, but simple movements and foot exercises can work against that strain to restimulate blood flow and circumvent any deleterious effects.

Two studies published Aug. 21 in JAMA highlighted the link between heart and brain health. One found older individuals who met fewer metrics for ideal cardiovascular health had an increased risk of dementia, while the other showed that younger adults who didn’t achieve similar standards already had decreased cerebral blood flow and more white matter lesions.

Though e-cigarettes have generally been viewed as “less risky” than conventional cigarettes, new research published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine suggests the alternative can double the risk of developing myocardial infarction (MI).

Mothers who breastfed at least one child showed a 23 percent reduced risk of stroke compared to those who never breastfed, according to an observational study published Aug. 22 in the Journal of the American Heart Association.