Using different drug regimens has been proved to have effective effects on lowering blood pressure, but the adverse effects of long-term usage such medications is evident. According to recent trend in suing herbal and traditional medicines, researchers have been focused on evaluating the effect of different herbals on managing hypertension. The aim of the present study is the evaluation of the antihypertensive effect one of these herbs, sour tea ( Hibiscus sabdariffa ), on stage one hypertension. Patients with stage one hypertension who were diagnosed by a cardiologist has been included in the present clinical trial after giving informed consent. The patients were divided into two groups. The control and case group received the same lifestyle and dietary advices for controlling blood pressure. The case group received two standard cup of sour tea every morning for 1 month. The blood pressure of both groups was documented at baseline and at the end of the study and the results were analyzed using SPSS software. A total of 46 patients participated in this study and there was no significant difference in terms of age and body mass index between groups. There was a significant reduction in systolic blood pressure in both groups, but the mean reduction in systolic and diastolic blood pressure was significantly higher in the case group ( P = 0.004 and P < 0.001, respectively). Using H. sabdariffa as sour tea two times a day can be effective in managing blood pressure in stage one hypertension along with lifestyle and dietary modification.

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BACKGROUNDHeart failure is a clinical syndrome characterized by a constellation of symptoms and signs often caused by a structural and/or functional cardiac abnormality resulting in reduced cardiac output and/or elevated intracardiac pressures. Fragmented QRS (fQRS) complex is associated with fibrosis or myocardial scar in patients with structural heart disease. Patients, especially cardiologists, are particularly concerned about heart failure in people suffering from dyspnoea. The prevalence of this disease is rising in industrial countries. The relationship between NT-proBNP and fragmented QRS in patients with chronic heart failure was investigated in this study. METHODSThe population included 42 patients suffering from chronic heart failure. fQRS was described as ≥1 additional deflection, including the peak of the R-wave or the nadir of S-wave, in at least two continuous leads. According to the absence of fQRS [fQRS (-)] or presence of fQRS (n= 22 and n= 20, respectively), the patients were assigned to two groups. The statistical package for social sciences (SPSS, version 22) was used to analyse the data. Furthermore, the normality of the data was investigated by the Shapiro-Wilk test. The chi-square test and independent t-test were used to compare the variables. RESULTS42 patients (18 women and 24 men) aged 54.78±6.43 years participated in this study. Given the fQRS at hospitalization, the patients were assigned to fQRS (-) (n= 20) and fQRS (+) (n= 22) groups. The results showed that NT-proBNP level was significantly lower in fQRS (-) group (p < 0.001), compared to fQRS (+) group. There was a significant difference between the two groups in terms of NYHA, blood pressure, hypertension, diabetes and hyperlipidaemia. The groups were compared in terms of demographic characteristics, angiography including hyperlipidaemia, and history of cardiovascular diseases. The fQRS (+) group exhibited a higher proportion of hyperlipidaemia (63.40%), troponin I (34.33 ± 21.87) and ) than the fQRS (-) group. CONCLUSIONSThe results showed a significant relationship between fQRS and the higher levels of NT-proBNP. The fQRS was associated with increased NT-proBNP and pronounced LV end-diastolic pressure in heart failure patients.

In surface electrocardiography (ECG), Q wave is often considered as a sign of irreversibly scarred myocardium. Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging is an accurate mean for the detection of myocardial viability. Herein, we study the predictive value of Q wave in nonviable (scarred) myocardium by CMR study. Retrospective analysis of the ECG and CMR data of 35 coronary artery disease patients was performed. The delayed enhancement CMR protocol was used for the detection of viability. The presence of a pathologic Q wave in surface ECG was negatively related to myocardial viability with a kappa measurement of agreement of −0.544 and P < 0.0001. Pathologic Q wave in surface ECG can be used as a simple tool for myocardial viability prediction.