Just in time for summer grilling and entertaining season, the American Heart Association is offering a free cookbook filled with diabetes-friendly recipes. All you have to do is visit the American Heart Association Web site and sign up for their healthy living newsletter.

Included are recipes for summer pork roast with vegetables, Cajun Creole smothered steaks, garlicky Greek yogurt dip, and chicken rotini salad with rosemary.

The offer is available only for shipment to US addresses.

(photo courtesy of the American Heart Association)

Kids, parents, adults, advocates, researchers, heart and stroke survivors will make a personal plea on capitol Hill for lawmakers to help them save lives…You’re the Cure!

You’re the Cure advocates call on Congress to step up the fight against heart disease and stroke. Nearly 600 advocates, including American Heart Association President Daniel W. Jones, M.D., President-Elect Tim Gardner, M.D. and other officers wearing red will meet their representatives in Congress on Capitol Hill on April 28-29 to boost funding for heart and stroke research and prevention programs.

If you want to join American Heart Association’s You’re the Cure network please do so. You do not have to be a doctor or nurse to help save a life.

There is a great service offered by the American Heart Association, Heart Profilers.

You or a loved one can become more involved in your care by reviewing treatment options, possible side effects, success rates and questions to ask your healthcare provider. You also have access to medical journal articles and research studies written in an easy-to-understand format.

It is a personal ‘game plan’ and easy to understand info that pertains to your unique situation and treatment plan. It only takes about 20 minutes to really get going. Great tool- if anyone uses it or gives it a try please let me know.

I received a lot of feedback on my last post about new guidelines for resistant hypertension. And I thank you for that! So this morning I am going to take a few of the simpler questions that came across, tie them together and do a little Dear Hearty Life of sorts.

Is resistant high blood pressure resistant to exercise and diet regimens and can it be genetic?

Resistant hypertension is high blood pressure that does not respond to treatment. It is defined as blood pressure that remains elevated above treatment goals despite administration of a three drug regimen usually including a diuretic. It can not be diagnosed in full until the treatment has failed.

The most common cause of resistant hypertension, and the most difficult to treat is non- compliance of the patient. The term ‘patient noncompliance’ refers to situations where the patient did not adhere to the treatment for whatever reason, and some are out of the control of the patient.

It is important to figure out the underlying reason behind the resistant hypertension. Is it overactive adrenal glands, secondary hypertension? Is it kidney insufficiency or fluid build up? The physician needs to explore all options and situations before finding a regimen hat would be acceptable for the patient.

For the first time, the American Heart Association has set guidelines in the diagnosis and treatment of resistant high blood pressure. Resistant hypertension is if a person’s blood pressure remains above the goal despite taking three medications to lower as well as high blood pressure that is under control using four or more medications to treat it.

It is important to note that there is a huge difference between uncontrolled and resistant blood pressure. Uncontrolled is when the treatment is not effective and there needs to be more lifestyle changes or more adequate adjustments.

There are many underused types of medications and treatments that hypertension specialists would have a leg up on.

Diuretics are often underused in people with resistant hypertension, and some patients may benefit from adding mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRAs) to their treatment regimens, according to the statement. MRAs treat a condition called primary aldosteronism, which is found in about 20 percent of patients with resistant hypertension.

The bottom line is that you as well as your doctor need to keep up on your blood pressure changes, treatment and keep a log of your lifestyle changes. You need to know if your blood pressure is truly controlled or if it is resistant and if so… seek a hypertension specialist. Persons with resistant high blood pressure have more complications and health issues and why not nip it in the bud, right?