Summary and conclusionsForty-nine hypertensive patients who were overweight were randomly allocated to one of three strategies for attaining weight reduction and were followed for one year. Those referred to a dietitian lost more weight (mean 5 1 kg) than those given a diet sheet (mean 2 64 kg) or simply advised by the doctor to reduce weight (mean 2 15 kg). One-third of all the patients lost 6 kg or more.Successful weight loss was associated with a highly significant and substantial improvement in blood pressure control and with less frequent increases in antihypertensive treatment.

SUMMARY The effects of intravenous tranexamic acid were compared with placebo in 64 patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage. A double-blind procedure was used. One gram of tranexamic acid was given intravenously every 4 hours up to the time of operation on an intracranial arterial aneurysm or for up to 21 days after the first bleeding if operative treatment was not feasible. There were no differences in re-bleeds, morbidity or mortality between the tranexamic and placebo-treated groups. No thromboemboiic complications were noted in either group. Our results do not support the use of tranexamic acid in subarachnoid hemorrhage in daily doses of 6 g.