Today's Medical News From Newspapers, TV, Radio and the Journals.

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Customized Briefing for Dr. Jarir Nakouzi

AHN (9/20) reported that "intravenously delivered vitamin C helps lowering high blood pressure by calming an overactive central nervous system," according to a study presented at a medical conference.

"Health and Diet Health and Diet Research suggests vitamin C may help lower blood pressure. HealthDay (9/19, Mozes) added that investigators "focused on 12 patients diagnosed with an 'essential' form of high blood pressure -- namely, one with no known cause." None of the study's participants "had received any kind of prior treatment for their condition." During "a five-minute period, all the patients were intravenously administered three grams of vitamin C, after which they were monitored for 20 minutes to assess blood pressure and [sympathetic nervous system (SNS)] activity. Electrocardiograms were also taken." According to the researchers, "that 'antioxidant capacity' went up as a result of the IV infusions, while SNS activity dropped by about 11 percent." Furthermore, "the participants' blood pressure was found to have plunged nearly seven percent on average, with a specific drop in diastolic blood pressure (the bottom number on a reading) of nine percent."