Dr. Howard Smith Oncall

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/MEdGDfCBryw   Heat can lower your blood pressure according to 2 studies just presented to this year’s American Heart Association’s Hypertension meeting.  One study from Vanderbilt University employed heating pads while the second, from Texas State University-San Marcos used hot yoga.   The heating pad study showed that torso heating pads at 100 degrees for 4 hours could reduce systolic pressure up to 30 mm Hg.  Hot yoga for an hour 3 times weekly for 12 weeks reduced systolic BP 5 mmHg and diastolic BP 3 mmHg.   If efforts to get your pressure under control with diet, weight loss, exercise, and even medications have been challenging, add a little heat.   American Heart Association. "Heating pads may lower blood pressure in people with high blood pressure when lying down." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 6 September 2019. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/09/0190906172515.htm   American Heart Association. "Temps up, blood pressures down in hot yoga study." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 5