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Paul J Nietert,1 Stephanie R Shaftman,1 Richard M Silver,2 Bethany J Wolf,1 Brent M Egan,3 Kelly J Hunt,1 Edwin A Smith2 1Department of Public Health Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA; 2Department of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology and Immunology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA; 3Greenville Health System, Care Coordination Institute, Greenville, SC, USA Background: Raynaud phenomenon (RP) is a temporary vasoconstrictive condition that often manifests itself in the fingers in response to cold or stress. It often co-occurs with certain chronic diseases that impact mortality. Our objective was to determine whether RP has any independent association with survival. Methods: From 1987–1989, a total of 830 participants of the Charleston Heart Study cohort completed an in-person RP screening questionnaire. Two definitions of RP were used: a broad definition that included both blanching (pallor) and cyanotic color changes and a narrow definition that included only blanching. All-cause and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality were compared between subjects with and without RP using race-specific survival models that adjusted for age, sex, baseline CVD, and 10-year risk of coronary heart disease. Results: Using the narrow RP definition, we identified a significant interaction between older age and the presence of RP on all-cause mortality. In the broad RP definition model, the presence of RP was not associated with CVD mortality among blacks; however, among whites, the presence of RP was associated with a 1.6-fold increase in the hazard associated with CVD-related death (hazard ratio: 1.55, 95% confidence interval: 1.10–2.20, P=0.013). Conclusion: RP was independently associated with mortality among older adults in our cohort. Among whites, RP was associated with increased CVD-related death. It is possible that RP may be a sign of undiagnosed vascular disease. Keywords: Raynaud disease, cohort studies, cardiovascular diseases, survival analysis

Khaled Nashar,1 Brent M Egan2 1Division of Nephrology and Hypertension, Allegheny General Hospital, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; 2Care Coordination Institute and Greenville Health System, Greenville, SC, USA Abstract: Both metabolic syndrome (MetS) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) are increasing in incidence and lead to significant cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. The relationship between these two entities is complex. Individual components of the MetS are known risk factors for incident kidney disease, but it is not clear how the clustering of these components is linked to the development and progression of kidney disease. Cross-sectional studies show an association of the MetS and prevalent CKD; however, one cannot draw conclusions as to which came first – the MetS or the kidney disease. Observational studies suggest a relationship between MetS and incident CKD, but they also demonstrate the development of MetS in patients with established CKD. These observations suggest a bidirectional relationship. A better understanding of the relationship between components of the MetS and whether and how these components contribute to progression of CKD and incident cardiovascular disease could inform more effective prevention strategies. Keywords: obesity, insulin resistance, hypertension, oxdative stress, inflammation, adipokines

The authors previously reported that addition of valsartan ameliorated the negative metabolic effects of hydrochlorothiazide in obese hypertensive patients through an enhanced postprandial insulin response. In this secondary analysis, the authors tested whether this enhanced insulin response to valsartan/hydrochlorothiazide was influenced by serum potassium levels, which were reduced to a lesser extent, when compared with amlodipine/hydrochlorothiazide. Results showed that the early insulin response with valsartan plus hydrochlorothiazide occurred regardless of serum potassium levels. Heightened insulin response was, however, not significantly different when patients with normal potassium (>3.9 mEq/L) at baseline and low potassium (≤3.9 mEq/L) at the end of the study were compared with the amlodipine/hydrochlorothiazide group. Despite the influence of serum potassium on insulin secretory response to a glucose challenge, the addition of valsartan maintained normoglycemia in patients given hydrochlorothiazide. Thus, the metabolic response to hydrochlorothiazide was improved with addition of valsartan through an enhanced insulin response that was not greatly affected by changes in potassium levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Trial of Preventing Hypertension (TROPHY) demonstrated the feasibility of possibly reducing the incidence of hypertension with the angiotensin receptor blocker candesartan compared with placebo. The long-term benefits of pharmacologic therapy in high-normal blood pressure, or prehypertension are not known, and the long-term effect on health-related quality of life (HRQL) has not been determined. An analysis of covariance model was used to assess treatment differences from baseline in the HRQL scores using Short Form (SF)-36, and component measures at subsequent visits. Of the 809 randomized patients, 734 had both baseline and > or =1 HRQL follow-up assessment: 95% (379 of 397) of patients receiving candesartan and 91% (355 of 388) of patients receiving placebo. There were no statistically significant between-group differences in least-squares mean physical component survey and mental component survey scores or the individual scales at each scheduled visit relative to baseline values (P >.05). In TROPHY, patients with prehypertension had relatively high baseline HRQL, and HRQL was maintained with the angiotensin receptor blocker candesartan over both the 2-year treatment period and a total 4-year trial period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Prehypertension is considered a precursor of stage 1 hypertension and a predictor of excessive cardiovascular risk. We investigated whether pharmacologic treatment of prehypertension prevents or postpones stage 1 hypertension.Methods: Participants with repeated measurements of systolic pressure of 130 to 139 mm Hg and diastolic pressure of 89 mm Hg or lower, or systolic pressure of 139 mm Hg or lower and diastolic pressure of 85 to 89 mm Hg, were randomly assigned to receive two years of candesartan (Atacand, AstraZeneca) or placebo, followed by two years of placebo for all. When a participant reached the study end point of stage 1 hypertension, treatment with antihypertensive agents was initiated. Both the candesartan group and the placebo group were instructed to make changes in lifestyle to reduce blood pressure throughout the trial.Results: A total of 409 participants were randomly assigned to candesartan, and 400 to placebo. Data on 772 participants (391 in the candesartan group and 381 in the placebo group; mean age, 48.5 years; 59.6 percent men) were available for analysis. During the first two years, hypertension developed in 154 participants in the placebo group and 53 of those in the candesartan group (relative risk reduction, 66.3 percent; P<0.001). After four years, hypertension had developed in 240 participants in the placebo group and 208 of those in the candesartan group (relative risk reduction, 15.6 percent; P<0.007). Serious adverse events occurred in 3.5 percent of the participants assigned to candesartan and 5.9 percent of those receiving placebo.Conclusions: Over a period of four years, stage 1 hypertension developed in nearly two thirds of patients with untreated prehypertension (the placebo group). Treatment of prehypertension with candesartan appeared to be well tolerated and reduced the risk of incident hypertension during the study period. Thus, treatment of prehypertension appears to be feasible. (ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00227318.). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Antihypertensive medication use patterns have likely been influenced by changing costs and accessibility over the past 3 decades. This study examines the relationships between patent exclusivity loss, medication costs, and national health policies on antihypertensive medication use., Methods: Using 1996 to 2021 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey data of US adults with hypertension taking at least 1 antihypertensive medication, we conducted a cross-sectional analysis. We explored the associations between patent exclusivity loss, per-pill costs, and Medicare Part D enactment on medication use over time, focusing on the most commonly used medications (lisinopril, amlodipine, losartan, hydrochlorothiazide, and metoprolol)., Results: The unweighted sample comprised 50 095 US adults (mean age, 62 years; 53% female). The survey-weighted number of adults taking antihypertensive medications increased from 22 million (95% CIs, 20-23 million) to 55 million (95% CI, 51-60 million) between 1996 and 2021. Loss of patent exclusivity led to increased medication fills, notably for lisinopril, amlodipine, and losartan, which all exhibited within-class dominance. However, per-pill cost decreases coinciding with Medicare Part D did not increase the number of individuals treated or the use of specific antihypertensive medications or classes., Conclusions: The increase in antihypertensive medication use over the past decades highlights the significant impact of loss of patent exclusivity on the uptake in the use of specific medications. These findings underscore the complexity of factors influencing medication use, beyond cost reductions alone, and suggest that policies need to consider multiple facets to effectively improve antihypertensive medication accessibility and utilization.

Hypertension impacts most older adults as one of many multiple chronic conditions. A thorough evaluation is required to assess overall health, cardiovascular status, and comorbid conditions that impact treatment targets. In the absence of severe frailty or dementia, intensive treatment prevents more cardiovascular events than standard treatment and may slow cognitive decline. "Start low and go slow" is not the best strategy for many older adults as fewer cardiovascular events occur when hypertension is controlled within the first 3 to 6 months of treatment., Competing Interests: Disclosure B.M. Egan received royalties (UpToDate) and a consultant with Mineralys (no honorarium or travel expenses). S.E. Kjeldsen received lecture honoraria from Emcure, Getz, J.B. Pharma, Merck Healthcare KGaA, and Vector-Intas., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Statins appear to have greater antihypertensive effects in observational studies than in randomized controlled trials. This study assessed whether more frequent treatment of hypertension contributed to better blood pressure (BP, mmHg) control in statin-treated than statin-eligible untreated adults in observational studies., Methods: National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys 2009-2020 data were analyzed for adults 21-75 years ( N  = 3814) with hypertension (BP ≥140/≥90 or treatment). The 2013 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Cholesterol Guideline defined statin eligibility. The main analysis compared BP values and hypertension awareness, treatment, and control in statin-treated and statin-eligible but untreated adults. Multivariable logistic regression was used to assess the association of statin therapy to hypertension control and the contribution of antihypertensive therapy to that relationship., Results: Among adults with hypertension in 2009-2020, 30.3% were not statin-eligible, 36.9% were on statins, and 32.8% were statin-eligible but not on statins. Statin-treated adults were more likely to be aware of (93.4 vs. 80.6%) and treated (91.4 vs. 70.7%) for hypertension than statin-eligible adults not on statins. The statin-treated group had 8.3 mmHg lower SBP (130.3 vs. 138.6), and 22.8% greater control (<140/<90: 69.0 vs. 46.2%; all P values <0.001). The association between statin therapy and hypertension control [odds ratio 1.94 (95% confidence interval 1.53-2.47)] in multivariable logistic regression was not significant after also controlling for antihypertensive therapy [1.29 (0.96-1.73)]., Conclusion: Among adults with hypertension, statin-treated adults have lower BP and better control than statin-eligible untreated adults, which largely reflects differences in antihypertensive therapy., (Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.)

Purpose of Review: The population of older adults 60-79 years globally is projected to double from 800 million to 1.6 billion between 2015 and 2050, while adults ≥ 80 years were forecast to more than triple from 125 to 430 million. The risk for cardiovascular events doubles with each decade of aging and each 20 mmHg increase of systolic blood pressure. Thus, successful management of hypertension in older adults is critical in mitigating the projected global health and economic burden of cardiovascular disease., Recent Findings: Women live longer than men, yet with aging systolic blood pressure and prevalent hypertension increase more, and hypertension control decreases more than in men, i.e., hypertension in older adults is disproportionately a women's health issue. Among older adults who are healthy to mildly frail, the absolute benefit of hypertension control, including more intensive control, on cardiovascular events is greater in adults ≥ 80 than 60-79 years old. The absolute rate of serious adverse events during antihypertensive therapy is greater in adults ≥ 80 years older than 60-79 years, yet the excess adverse event rate with intensive versus standard care is only moderately increased. Among adults ≥ 80 years, benefits of more intensive therapy appear non-existent to reversed with moderate to marked frailty and when cognitive function is less than roughly the twenty-fifth percentile. Accordingly, assessment of functional and cognitive status is important in setting blood pressure targets in older adults. Given substantial absolute cardiovascular benefits of more intensive antihypertensive therapy in independent-living older adults, this group merits shared-decision making for hypertension targets., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

The renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) plays a well-characterized role regulating blood pressure in mammals. Pharmacological and genetic manipulation of the RAAS has been shown to extend lifespan in Caenorhabditis elegans, Drosophila and rodents, but its mechanism is not well defined. Here, we investigate the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor drug captopril, which extends lifespan in worms and mice. To investigate the mechanism, we performed a forward genetic screen for captopril-hypersensitive mutants. We identified a missense mutation that causes a partial loss of function of the daf-2 receptor tyrosine kinase gene, a powerful regulator of aging. The homologous mutation in the human insulin receptor causes Donohue syndrome, establishing these mutant worms as an invertebrate model of this disease. Captopril functions in C. elegans by inhibiting ACN-1, the worm homolog of ACE. Reducing the activity of acn-1 via captopril or RNA interference promoted dauer larvae formation, suggesting that acn-1 is a daf gene. Captopril-mediated lifespan extension was abrogated by daf-16(lf) and daf-12(lf) mutations. Our results indicate that captopril and acn-1 influence lifespan by modulating dauer formation pathways. We speculate that this represents a conserved mechanism of lifespan control., Competing Interests: Competing interests The authors declare no competing or financial interests., (© 2024. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.)

Hypertension is one of the most important risk factors that contribute to incident cardiovascular events. A multitude of US and international hypertension guidelines, scientific statements, and policy statements have recommended evidence-based approaches for hypertension management and improved blood pressure (BP) control. These recommendations are based largely on high-quality observational and randomized controlled trial data. However, recent published data demonstrate troubling temporal trends with declining BP control in the United States after decades of steady improvements. Therefore, there is a widening disconnect between what hypertension experts recommend and actual BP control in practice. This scientific statement provides information on the implementation strategies to optimize hypertension management and to improve BP control among adults in the United States. Key approaches include antiracism efforts, accurate BP measurement and increased use of self-measured BP monitoring, team-based care, implementation of policies and programs to facilitate lifestyle change, standardized treatment protocols using team-based care, improvement of medication acceptance and adherence, continuous quality improvement, financial strategies, and large-scale dissemination and implementation. Closing the gap between scientific evidence, expert recommendations, and achieving BP control, particularly among disproportionately affected populations, is urgently needed to improve cardiovascular health.

Importance: Adherence to selected antihypertensive medications (proportion of days covered [PDC]) declined after guidance to shelter in place for COVID-19., Objectives: To determine whether PDC for all antihypertensive medications collectively fell from the 6 months before sheltering guidance (September 15, 2019, to March 14, 2020 [baseline]) compared with the first (March 15 to June 14, 2020) and second (June 15 to September 14, 2020) 3 months of sheltering and to assess the usefulness of baseline PDC for identifying individuals at risk for declining PDC during sheltering., Design, Setting, and Participants: This retrospective cohort study included a random sample of US adults obtained from EagleForce Health, a division of EagleForce Associates Inc. Approximately one-half of the adults were aged 40 to 64 years and one-half were aged 65 to 90 years, with prescription drug coverage, hypertension, and at least 1 antihypertensive medication prescription filled at a retail pharmacy during baseline., Main Outcomes and Measures: Prescription claims were used to assess (1) PDC at baseline and changes in PDC during the first and second 3 months of sheltering and (2) the association of good (PDC ≥ 80), fair (PDC 50-79), and poor (PDC < 50) baseline adherence with adherence during sheltering., Results: A total of 27 318 adults met inclusion criteria (mean [SD] age, 65.0 [11.7] years; 50.7% women). Mean PDC declined from baseline (65.6 [95% CI, 65.2-65.9]) during the first (63.4 [95% CI, 63.0-63.8]) and second (58.9 [95% CI, 58.5-59.3]) 3 months after sheltering in all adults combined (P < .001 for both comparisons) and both age groups separately. Good, fair, and poor baseline adherence was observed in 40.0%, 27.8%, and 32.2% of adults, respectively. During the last 3 months of sheltering, PDC declined more from baseline in those with good compared with fair baseline adherence (-13.1 [95% CI, -13.6 to -12.6] vs -8.3 [95% CI, -13.6 to -12.6]; P < .001), whereas mean (SD) PDC increased in those with poor baseline adherence (mean PDC, 31.6 [95% CI, 31.3-31.9] vs 34.4 [95% CI, 33.8-35.0]; P < .001). However, poor adherence during sheltering occurred in 1034 adults (9.5%) with good baseline adherence, 2395 (31.6%) with fair baseline adherence, and 6409 (72.9%) with poor baseline adherence., Conclusions and Relevance: These findings suggest that individuals with poor baseline adherence are candidates for adherence-promoting interventions irrespective of sheltering guidance. Interventions to prevent poor adherence during sheltering may be more useful for individuals with fair vs good baseline adherence.

The free-living, non-parasitic nematode Caenorhabditis elegans is a premier model organism for the study of aging and longevity due to its short lifespan, powerful genetic tools, and conservation of fundamental mechanisms with mammals. Approximately 70 percent of human genes have homologs in C. elegans , including many that encode proteins in pathways that influence aging. Numerous genetic pathways have been identified in C. elegans that affect lifespan, including the dietary restriction pathway, the insulin/insulin-like growth factor (IGF) signaling pathway, and the disruption of components of the mitochondrial electron transport chain. C. elegans is also a powerful system for performing drug screens, and many lifespan-extending compounds have been reported; notably, several FDA-approved medications extend the lifespan in C. elegans , raising the possibility that they can also extend the lifespan in humans. The renin-angiotensin system (RAS) in mammals is an endocrine system that regulates blood pressure and a paracrine system that acts in a wide range of tissues to control physiological processes; it is a popular target for drugs that reduce blood pressure, including angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs). Emerging evidence indicates that this system influences aging. In C. elegans , decreasing the activity of the ACE homolog acn-1 or treatment with the ACE-inhibitor Captopril significantly extends the lifespan. In Drosophila , treatment with ACE inhibitors extends the lifespan. In rodents, manipulating the RAS with genetic or pharmacological interventions can extend the lifespan. In humans, polymorphisms in the ACE gene are associated with extreme longevity. These results suggest the RAS plays a conserved role in controlling longevity. Here, we review studies of the RAS and aging, emphasizing the potential of C. elegans as a model for understanding the mechanism of lifespan control., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Egan, Scharf, Pohl and Kornfeld.)

Background: Controlled blood pressure can prevent or reduce adverse health outcomes. Social and structural determinants may contribute to the disparity that despite equivalent proportions on antihypertensive medication, non-Hispanic Black (Black) adults have lower blood pressure control and more cardiovascular events than non-Hispanic White (White) adults., Methods: Data from 2013 to 2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were pooled to assess control among Black and White adults by antihypertensive medication use and selected characteristics using the 2017 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) Blood Pressure Guideline definition (systolic blood pressure <130 mm Hg and diastolic blood pressure <80 mm Hg) among 4,739 adults., Results: Among those treated with antihypertensive medication, an estimated 34.9% of Black and 45.0% of White adults had controlled blood pressure. Control was lower for Black and White adults among most subgroups of age, sex, education, insurance status, usual source of care, and poverty-income ratio. Black adults had higher use of diuretics (28.5%-Black adults vs. 23.5%-White adults) and calcium channel blockers (24.2%-Black adults vs. 14.7%-White adults) compared with White adults. Control among Black adults was lower than White adults across all medication classes including diuretics (36.1%-Black adults vs. 47.3%-White adults), calcium channel blockers (30.2%-Black adults vs. 40.1%-White adults), and number of medication classes used., Conclusions: Suboptimal blood pressure control rates and disparities warrant increased efforts to improve control, which could include addressing social and structural determinants along with emphasizing implementation of the 2017 ACC/AHA Blood Pressure Guideline into clinical practice., (© Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of American Journal of Hypertension Ltd 2022.)

Hypertension treatment and control prevent more cardiovascular events than management of other modifiable risk factors. Although the age-adjusted proportion of US adults with controlled blood pressure (BP) defined as <140/90 mm Hg, improved from 31.8% in 1999-2000 to 48.5% in 2007-2008, it remained stable through 2013-2014 and declined to 43.7% in 2017-2018. To address the rapid decline in hypertension control, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute and the Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention convened a virtual workshop with multidisciplinary national experts. Also, the group sought to identify opportunities to reverse the adverse trend and further improve hypertension control. The workshop immediately preceded the Surgeon General's Call to Action to Control Hypertension, which recognized a stagnation in progress with hypertension control. The presentations and discussions included potential reasons for the decline and challenges in hypertension control, possible "big ideas," and multisector approaches that could reverse the current trend while addressing knowledge gaps and research priorities. The broad set of "big ideas" was comprised of various activities that may improve hypertension control, including: interventions to engage patients, promotion of self-measured BP monitoring with clinical support, supporting team-based care, implementing telehealth, enhancing community-clinical linkages, advancing precision population health, developing tailored public health messaging, simplifying hypertension treatment, using process and outcomes quality metrics to foster accountability and efficiency, improving access to high-quality health care, addressing social determinants of health, supporting cardiovascular public health and research, and lowering financial barriers to hypertension control., (© The Author(s) 2021. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of American Journal of Hypertension, Ltd.)

The greater antihypertensive responses to initial therapy with calcium channel blockers (CCBs) or thiazide-type diuretics than renin-angiotensin system blockers as initial therapy in non-Hispanic Black (NHB) adults was recognized in the US High BP guidelines from 1988 to 2003. The 2014 Report from Panel Members Appointed to the Eighth Joint National Committee (2014 aJNC8 Report) and the 2017 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association High Blood Pressure Guideline were the first to recommend CCBs or thiazide-type diuretics rather than renin-angiotensin system blockers as initial therapy in NHB. We assessed the temporal relationship of these recommendations on self-reported CCB or thiazide-type diuretics monotherapy by NHB and NHW adults with hypertension absent compelling indications for β-blockers or renin-angiotensin system blockers in National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys 2015 to 2018 versus 2007 to 2012 (after versus before 2014 aJNC8 Report). CCB or thiazide-type diuretics monotherapy was unchanged in NHW adults (17.1% versus 18.1%, P =0.711) and insignificantly higher after 2014 among NHB adults (43.7% versus 38.2%, P =0.204), although CCB monotherapy increased (29.5% versus 21.0%, P =0.021) and renin-angiotensin system blocker monotherapy fell (44.5% versus 31.0%, P =0.008). Although evidence-based CCB monotherapy increased among NHB adults in 2015 to 2018, hypertension control declined as untreated hypertension and monotherapy increased. While a gap between recommended and actual monotherapy persists, evidence-based monotherapy appears insufficient to improve hypertension control in NHB adults, especially given evidence for worsening therapeutic inertia. Initiating treatment with single-pill combinations and timely therapeutic intensification when required to control hypertension are evidence-based, race-neutral options for improving hypertension control among NHB adults.

The widespread treatment of hypertension and resultant improvement in blood pressure have been major contributors to the dramatic age-specific decline in heart disease and stroke. Despite this progress, a persistent gap remains between stated public health targets and achieved blood pressure control rates. Many factors may be important contributors to the gap between population hypertension control goals and currently observed control levels. Among them is the extent to which patients adhere to prescribed treatment. The goal of this scientific statement is to summarize the current state of knowledge of the contribution of medication nonadherence to the national prevalence of poor blood pressure control, methods for measuring medication adherence and their associated challenges, risk factors for antihypertensive medication nonadherence, and strategies for improving adherence to antihypertensive medications at both the individual and health system levels.

Hypertension is a major risk factor for cardiovascular and renal diseases in the United States and worldwide. Obesity accounts for much of the risk for primary hypertension through several mechanisms, including neurohormonal activation, inflammation, and kidney dysfunction. As the prevalence of obesity continues to increase, hypertension and associated cardiorenal diseases will also increase unless more effective strategies to prevent and treat obesity are developed. Lifestyle modification, including diet, reduced sedentariness, and increased physical activity, is usually recommended for patients with obesity; however, the long-term success of these strategies for reducing adiposity, maintaining weight loss, and reducing blood pressure has been limited. Effective pharmacotherapeutic and procedural strategies, including metabolic surgeries, are additional options to treat obesity and prevent or attenuate obesity hypertension, target organ damage, and subsequent disease. Medications can be useful for short- and long-term obesity treatment; however, prescription of these drugs is limited. Metabolic surgery is effective for producing sustained weight loss and for treating hypertension and metabolic disorders in many patients with severe obesity. Unanswered questions remain related to the mechanisms of obesity-related diseases, long-term efficacy of different treatment and prevention strategies, and timing of these interventions to prevent obesity and hypertension-mediated target organ damage. Further investigation, including randomized controlled trials, is essential to addressing these questions, and emphasis should be placed on the prevention of obesity to reduce the burden of hypertensive cardiovascular and kidney diseases and subsequent mortality.

Aging animals display a broad range of progressive degenerative changes, and one of the most fascinating is the decline of female reproductive function. In the model organism Caenorhabditis elegans , hermaphrodites reach a peak of progeny production on day 2 of adulthood and then display a rapid decline; progeny production typically ends by day 8 of adulthood. Since animals typically survive until day 15 of adulthood, there is a substantial post reproductive lifespan. Here we review the molecular and cellular changes that occur during reproductive aging, including reductions in stem cell number and activity, slowing meiotic progression, diminished Notch signaling, and deterioration of germ line and oocyte morphology. Several interventions have been identified that delay reproductive aging, including mutations, drugs and environmental factors such as temperature. The detailed description of reproductive aging coupled with interventions that delay this process have made C. elegans a leading model system to understand the mechanisms that drive reproductive aging. While reproductive aging has dramatic consequences for individual fertility, it also has consequences for the ecology of the population. Population dynamics are driven by birth and death, and reproductive aging is one important factor that influences birth rate. A variety of theories have been advanced to explain why reproductive aging occurs and how it has been sculpted during evolution. Here we summarize these theories and discuss the utility of C. elegans for testing mechanistic and evolutionary models of reproductive aging., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Scharf, Pohl, Egan, Kocsisova and Kornfeld.)

[Figure: see text].

Hypertension is often associated with metabolic changes. The sustained increase in sympathetic activity is related to increased blood pressure and metabolic changes. Environmental stimuli may be related to increased sympathetic activity, blood pressure, and metabolic changes, especially in genetically predisposed individuals. The aim of this study was to evaluate the response of fatty acids to physical and mental stress in healthy volunteers and the hemodynamic, hormonal, and metabolic implications of these stimuli. Fifteen healthy individuals with a mean age of 31 ± 7 years, of both sexes, were evaluated. They were assessed at baseline and after combined physical and mental stress (isometric exercise test, Stroop color test). Blood samples were collected at baseline and after stimulation for glucose, insulin, fatty acid, and catecholamine levels. Blood pressure, heart rate, cardiac output, systemic vascular resistance, and distensibility of the large and small arteries were analyzed. The data obtained at baseline and after stimuli were from the same individual, being the control itself. Compared to baseline, after physical and mental stress there was a statistically significant increase (p < .05) in free fatty acids, norepinephrine, diastolic blood pressure, peripheral vascular resistance, and distensibility of the large and small arteries. In conclusion, the combination of physical and mental stress raised fatty acids, norepinephrine, diastolic blood pressure, and peripheral vascular resistance in healthy individuals., (© 2021 The Authors. The Journal of Clinical Hypertension published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Background: Life's Simple 7 (LS7; nutrition, physical activity, cigarette use, body mass index, blood pressure, cholesterol, glucose) predicts cardiovascular health. The principal objective of our study was to define demographic and socioeconomic factors associated with LS7 to better inform programs addressing cardiovascular health and health equity., Methods: National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys 1999-2016 data were analyzed on non-Hispanic White [NHW], NH Black [NHB], and Hispanic adults aged ≥20 years without cardiovascular disease. Each LS7 variable was assigned 0, 1, or 2 points for poor, intermediate, and ideal levels, respectively. Composite LS7 scores were grouped as poor (0-4 points), intermediate (5-9), and ideal (10-14)., Results: 32,803 adults were included. Mean composite LS7 scores were below ideal across race/ethnicity groups. After adjusting for confounders, NHBs were less likely to have optimal LS7 scores than NHW (multivariable odds ratios (OR .44; 95% CI .37-.53), whereas Hispanics tended to have better scores (1.18; .96-1.44). Hispanics had more ideal LS7 scores than NHBs, although Hispanics had lower incomes and less education, which were independently associated with fewer ideal LS7 scores. Adults aged ≥45 years were less likely to have ideal LS7 scores (.11; .09-.12) than adults aged <45 years., Conclusions: NHBs were the least likely to have optimal scores, despite higher incomes and more education than Hispanics, consistent with structural racism and Hispanic paradox. Programs to optimize lifestyle should begin in childhood to mitigate precipitous age-related declines in LS7 scores, especially in at-risk groups. Promoting higher education and reducing poverty are also important., Competing Interests: Competing Interests: None declared., (Copyright © 2020, Ethnicity & Disease, Inc.)

Background and Aims: Within the context of busy clinical settings, health-care providers need practical, evidence-based options to engage smokers in quitting. Sampling of nicotine replacement therapy [i.e. provision of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT starter kits)] is a brief, pragmatic strategy to address this need. We aimed to compare the effects of NRT sampling plus standard care (SC), relative to SC alone, provided by primary care providers during routine clinic visits., Design: Cluster-randomized clinical trial., Setting: Twenty-two primary care clinics in South Carolina, USA., Participants: Adult smokers [n = 1245; 61% female, mean age = 50.7, standard deviation (SD) = 13.5] both motivated and unmotivated to quit, seen during routine clinical visit. Interventions were provider-delivered SC (n = 652, 12 clinics) cessation advice or SC + a 2-week supply of both nicotine patch and lozenge, with minimal instructions on use (n = 593; 10 clinics)., Measurements: The primary outcome was 7-day point prevalence smoking abstinence at 6-month follow-up, using intent-to-treat. Additional outcomes included NRT use and quit attempts, assessed at 1, 3 and 6 months following baseline., Findings: Seven-day point prevalence abstinence rates were significantly higher in the NRT sampling group throughout follow-up, including at 6 months [12 versus 8%, odds ratio (OR) = 1.5, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.0-2.4]. NRT sampling increased prevalence of any use of NRT (65 versus 25%, OR = 5.8, 95% CI = 4.3-7.7), with higher prevalence of use at 6 months (25 versus 14%, OR = 2.0, 95% CI = 1.5-2.7). NRT sampling increased the rate of quit attempts in the initial month (24 versus 18%, OR = 1.5, 95% CI = 1.0-2.3) but had no significant effect on overall rate of quit attempts (48 versus 45%, OR = 1.2, 95% CI = 0.8-1.7)., Conclusion: Providing smokers with a free 2-week starter kit of nicotine replacement therapy increased quit attempts, use of stop smoking medications and smoking abstinence compared with standard care in a primary care setting., (© 2020 Society for the Study of Addiction.)