Health
Study: Blood pressure higher in winter
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted Jan. 26, 2009
People 65 and older may be particularly susceptible to temperature-related variations in blood pressure, according to a report in the Jan. 12 Archives of Internal Medicine.
A study of 8,801 older people in three French cities found that average systolic blood pressure was 5 millimeters of mercury higher in winter than in summer. High blood pressure, defined as a systolic blood pressure of 160 millimeters of mercury or higher, or a diastolic blood pressure of 95 millimeters of mercury or higher, was detected in 33.4% of participants during winter and 23.8 % during summer.
The findings may explain the well-established seasonal variations in illness and death from stroke, aneurysm ruptures and other vascular diseases, the researchers said.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2009/01/26/hlbf0126.htm.
