Low Potassium Associated with High Blood Pressure

This is a report presented at the American Society of Nephrology that evaluated the urinary amount of potassium in about 3300 patients, half of whom were African American.  Low potassium in the urine was linked with higher blood pressure.  The authors suggest that a diet deficient in potassium, such as is found in fresh fruit including bananas and oranges, may lead to higher blood pressure in individuals predisposed to hypertension.

The study abstract, "Dietary Potassium Deficiency Is Independently Associated with Increased Blood Pressure in a Multi-Ethnic Population-Based Cohort," (SA-FC404) will be presented as part of a Free Communications session on the topic of “Clinical Aspects of Hypertension in Kidney Disease” on Saturday, November 8.

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Drinking Hibiscus Tea May Help Lower Blood Pressure

Hibiscus tea is made from the plant Hibiscus sabdariffa.  The Hibiscus plant is known by a variety of names around the world, including agua de jamaica, roselle (Thailand), saril, Karkady and many others.

The Hibiscus plant contains a number of organic molecules including the organic acids  citric, maleic and tartaric acid. Hibiscus tea also contains flavenoids including delphinidin which gives Hibiscus tea a deep red color.

Hibiscus tea has been purported to both lower blood pressure and cholesterol but studies proving these health benefits have been sparse.

A recent report referenced below, presented at the American Heart Association, compared two groups of patients who were mildly hypertensive or 'pre-hypertensive'.  One group was instructed to drink three cups of hibiscus tea daily for six weeks, the second group drank a hibiscus 'flavored' tea without the hibiscus extract.

The group that drank the hibiscus tea had a mild decrease in systolic blood pressure, which was more significant in those patients with in the higher range of blood pressure readings at baseline.

Comments:  This is a small but intriguing study.  There may be considerable variation in hibiscus teas and concentration of the organic extracts.  If hibiscus tea does help moderate blood pressure, it would be interesting to know which of the many organic compounds in tea, is having this effect.

References:

1-Wikipedia:  Hibiscus Tea

2.  McKay DL, et al "Hibiscus sabdariffa L. Tea (Tisane) Lowers Blood Pressure in Prehypertensive and Mildly Hypertensive Adults" AHA Meeting 2008; Abstract 3278.

3. http://www.medpagetoday.com/MeetingCoverage/AHA/11689

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Do you know the difference between Postprandial and Postural Hypotension? 

Fred Cicetti, in The San Ynez Valley Journal, discusses these forms of low blood pressure brought on by eating (post-prandial) and change in position (sitting or standing suddenly). 

The San Ynez Valley Journey November 20 2008

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Lowering blood pressure of Hypertensive African American patients to the level of Hypertensive White Patients may save lives.

Researchers report in  November/December issue of Annals of Family Medicine
that Hypertensive African American patients had significantly higher blood pressure at baseline.  They theorize that if these patients could achieve the same level of blood pressure control as similarly hypertensive white patients achieve, up to 7000 lives could be saved per year from deaths due to heart disease and stroke.

University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine.
Primary source: Annals of Family Medicine
Source reference:
Fiscella K, Holt K "Racial disparity in hypertension control: tallying the death toll" Ann Fam Med 2008; 6: 497-502.

Reference: MedPage Today
Published: November 14, 2008
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