美国批准治疗严重高血压的方法
📖 逐句对照翻译
Michael Garrity had dangerously high blood pressure for many years.
迈克尔·加里蒂多年来血压高得危险。
And the medicines that doctors gave him could not control it.
而医生给他开的药也无法控制它。
But a new treatment targeting some nerves on his kidneys has helped the 62-year-old Garrity have normal blood pressure for the first time in years.
但是，一种针对他肾脏某些神经的新疗法，使62岁的加里蒂多年来首次血压恢复正常。
When some nerves from the kidneys send more signals than is normal, dangerously high blood pressure can result.
当肾脏发出的某些神经信号超过正常水平时，可能会导致危险的高血压。
The new treatment uses ultrasound, or high frequency sound waves, to reduce the signals the nerves send.
这种新疗法利用超声波（即高频声波）来减弱神经发出的信号。
“My blood pressure would spike and I’d run out of breath and feel tired, and that doesn’t happen anymore,” said Garrity, who lives in the American state of Massachusetts.
“我的血压会飙升，我会喘不过气来，感到疲惫，但现在这些都不再发生了，”住在马萨诸塞州的加里蒂说。
Garrity still takes medicine but at lower amounts.
加里蒂仍在服药，但剂量已减少。
He said he is very happy with the results of his treatment.
他说他对治疗效果非常满意。
About half of U.S. adults have high blood pressure.
大约一半的美国成年人患有高血压。
It increases the risk for heart attacks, strokes, kidney failure, and possibly dementia.
它会增加心脏病发作、中风、肾衰竭以及可能痴呆的风险。
Many people do not know they have high blood pressure until something goes wrong.
许多人直到出现问题才知道自己患有高血压。
“Know your blood pressure, know the numbers,” said Dr. Randy Zusman of Massachusetts General Hospital.
马萨诸塞州总医院的兰迪·祖斯曼博士说：“了解你的血压，了解这些数字。”
He treats difficult cases.
他治疗疑难杂症。
He also said people who think they are healthy should still have their blood pressure measured once a year or more.
他还表示，那些自认为健康的人也应该每年至少测量一次血压。
Only a small percentage of people with high blood pressure control the condition well.
只有一小部分高血压患者能很好地控制病情。
That might mean there is a need for new treatments.
这可能意味着需要新的治疗方法。
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the new ultrasound treatment about a year ago.
美国食品药品监督管理局大约一年前批准了这种新型超声波疗法。
Some hospitals are offering the treatment, but only for patients who might be likely to have good results.
一些医院正在提供这种治疗，但仅针对可能获得良好结果的患者。
What is high blood pressure?
什么是高血压？
Blood pressure is measured using two values.
血压通过两个数值来衡量。
One value is called “systolic” pressure.
一个数值被称为“收缩压”。
It is the force blood puts on the walls of arteries as it is pumped out of the heart.
它是血液从心脏泵出时对动脉壁施加的压力。
The second value is called “diastolic” pressure.
第二个数值称为“舒张压”。
That number measures pressure in blood vessels between heartbeats.
这个数值衡量的是心跳间歇期血管内的压力。
The Associated Press reports that normal blood pressure is less than 120 over 80.
美联社报道称，正常血压低于120/80。
However, blood pressure naturally changes throughout the day.
然而，血压在一天中会自然变化。
It is higher when a person is physically active or experiences tension.
当一个人进行体力活动或感到紧张时，它会更高。
But when it stays higher than, for example, 130 over 80 or higher, it might mean the heart is working too hard.
但当它持续高于例如130/80或更高时，可能意味着心脏工作过于劳累。
Treatments for high blood pressure
高血压的治疗方法
Instead of drugs, doctors advise lifestyle changes as the first step to reduce blood pressure.
医生建议，降低血压的第一步应是改变生活方式，而非使用药物。
Changes can include losing weight, getting regular exercise, eating more fruits and vegetables, limiting salt and alcohol, and taking steps to deal with tension, or stress, in a healthy way.
这些改变可以包括减肥、定期锻炼、多吃水果和蔬菜、限制盐分和酒精摄入，以及采取健康的方式来应对紧张或压力。
However, if blood pressure reaches 140 over 90, taking medicine becomes necessary.
然而，如果血压达到140/90，就需要服药了。
Zusman said most patients need two or three drugs, sometimes more, along with healthier living.
祖斯曼表示，多数患者需要两到三种药物，有时甚至更多，同时还需配合更健康的生活方式。
The high blood pressure Garrity has struggled with resists treatment with drugs.
加里蒂一直难以控制的高血压对药物治疗有抵抗性。
He tried taking four to six drugs as well as eating healthy food and exercising.
他尝试服用四到六种药物，同时保持健康饮食和锻炼。
Still, his blood pressure regularly reached 150 over 100 or higher.
尽管如此，他的血压经常达到150/100甚至更高。
Dr. Joseph Garasic is a heart specialist at Massachusetts General Hospital.
约瑟夫·加拉西奇医生是马萨诸塞州综合医院的心脏病专家。
He performed Garrity’s operation.
他执行了加里蒂的手术。
He said doctors pass a small tube through blood vessels to reach the kidneys.
他说，医生将一根细管穿过血管到达肾脏。
Then they direct ultrasound through kidney arteries targeting the nerves.
然后，他们通过肾动脉引导超声波，针对神经进行治疗。
The operation takes about one hour.
手术大约需要一个小时。
The treatment is not a cure, and it does not help all patients.
这种治疗并非治愈方法，也并非对所有患者都有效。
But Garasic said several studies show on average an eight to 10-point drop in blood pressure.
但加拉斯奇表示，多项研究显示，血压平均下降8到10个点。
This small decrease can still help some patients.
这种小幅下降仍能帮助部分患者。
Others, like Garrity, see bigger drops.
其他人，如加里蒂，则经历了更大幅度的下降。
This can help reduce the number of medications patients must take.
这有助于减少患者必须服用的药物数量。
Studies connected to the new ultrasound treatment have only lasted a few years.
与这种新型超声波治疗相关的研究只持续了几年。
That means doctors do not yet know if the nerves will grow back.
这意味着医生们还不清楚神经是否会重新生长。
The American Heart Association says people with high blood pressure and their doctors should have “thoughtful and informed discussions” to decide who might be the right patients to try the treatment.
美国心脏协会表示，高血压患者及其医生应该进行“深思熟虑且知情的讨论”，以决定哪些患者可能是适合尝试这种治疗的人选。
I’m Andrew Smith.
我是安德鲁·史密斯。
Lauran Neergaard wrote this story for The Associated Press.
劳伦·尼尔加德为美联社撰写了这篇报道。
Andrew Smith adapted it for VOA Learning English.
安德鲁·史密斯为VOA英语学习频道改编了它。
