- With Mayo Clinic emeritus hypertension specialist
Sheldon G. Sheps, M.D.
read biographyclose windowBiography of
Sheldon G. Sheps, M.D.
Sheldon G. Sheps, M.D.
Dr. Sheldon Sheps, emeritus professor of medicine and former chair of the Hypertension Division in the Department of Medicine at Mayo Clinic, has been with Mayo Clinic since 1960.
Dr. Sheps, a Winnipeg, Manitoba, native, is board certified in internal medicine and specializes in hypertension and peripheral vascular diseases. He developed a multidisciplinary approach with specially trained nurses, dietitians, technicians and educators to help form a team approach to the treatment of patients with abnormal blood pressure.
"I have always believed in involving the patient and family in their health care," he says. "I have asked for their understanding of the illness and issues and for participation in decisions. The Web is a natural extension of that, and now many more people can be informed."
Dr. Sheps chaired the sixth working group, and participated in the fourth, fifth and seventh groups, that developed the then-latest guidelines for hypertension under the auspices of the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI). He helped write the latest American Heart Association (AHA) report on blood pressure measurement. He chaired an AHA group that produced an online accreditation for blood pressure measurement for health professionals. He has co-authored books, newsletters, CD-ROMs and other Mayo Clinic health information material and joined Mayo Clinic's Web team in 1998. He was medical editor-in-chief of both editions of the "Mayo Clinic on High Blood Pressure" book; the last edition was published in 2003. He was also medical editor-in-chief of "Mayo Clinic 5 Steps to Controlling High Blood Pressure,'' published in 2008.
He was section editor for each of the first three editions of "Hypertension Primer" for the American Heart Association.
Dr. Sheps was also chairman of the Science Base Subcommittee, National High Blood Pressure Education Program, and was a consultant to the Hypertension Initiative of the World Health Organization. In 1997, he was honored with the Individual Achievement Award on the 25th anniversary of the National High Blood Pressure Education Program of NHLBI. In 2009, he was honored as a Distinguished Mayo Alumnus.
Definition (3)
- Isolated systolic hypertension: A health concern?
- Blood pressure: Is it affected by cold weather?
- White-coat hypertension: When blood pressure rises at the doctor's office
Risk factors (2)
- Alcohol: Does it affect blood pressure?
- Menopause and high blood pressure: What's the connection?
Symptoms (1)
- Pulse pressure: An indicator of heart health?
Causes (5)
- Blood pressure: Does it have a daily pattern?
- Caffeine: How does it affect blood pressure?
- Blood pressure readings: Why higher at home?
- see all in Causes
Complications (1)
- Hypertensive crisis: What are the symptoms?
Treatments and drugs (5)
- Blood pressure medications: Can they raise my triglycerides?
- Calcium supplements: Do they interfere with blood pressure drugs?
- Diuretics: A cause of low potassium?
- see all in Treatments and drugs
Lifestyle and home remedies (10)
- Water softeners: How much sodium do they add?
- Weightlifting: Bad for your blood pressure?
- Blood pressure medication: Still necessary if I lose weight?
- see all in Lifestyle and home remedies
Alternative medicine (1)
- L-arginine: Does it lower blood pressure?
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Question
Resperate: Can it help reduce blood pressure?
What can you tell me about Resperate? Does it really help lower blood pressure?
Answer
from Sheldon G. Sheps, M.D.
Resperate is a portable electronic device that promotes slow, deep breathing. Resperate is approved by the Food and Drug Administration for reducing stress and lowering blood pressure. It's available without a prescription.
The Resperate system has three parts: a computerized unit, a chest sensor and a pair of earphones. To use Resperate, you strap the sensor around your chest and place the earphones over your ears. The computerized unit analyzes your breathing pattern, creates a personalized melody and transmits it to the earphones. In turn, you synchronize your breathing to the melody. The goal is slow, deep breathing with particularly long exhalation.
Resperate is intended to be used at least 15 minutes a day, three to four days a week. Within a few weeks, the deep breathing exercises can help lower both systolic and diastolic blood pressure — the top and bottom numbers in a blood pressure reading. The theory is that slow, deep breathing reduces activity in the part of the nervous system that controls blood flow (sympathetic nervous system), which allows blood pressure to return to normal.
As long as you continue doing the breathing exercises, you're likely to enjoy the effects on your blood pressure. If you stop doing the breathing exercises, your blood pressure is likely to increase again.
Next questionHigh blood pressure and cold remedies: Which are safe?
- Resperate. InterCure. http://www.resperate.com/us/media/pdfs/downloadable_mail_package.pdf. Accessed Oct. 15, 2008.
- Resperate for hypertension. The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics. 2007;49:55.
