Heart disease is the narrowing or blockage of the arteries and vessels that provide oxygen and nutrient-rich blood to the heart. It is caused by atherosclerosis, an accumulation of fatty materials on the inner linings of arteries that restricts blood flow. When the blood flow to the heart is completely cut off, the result is a heart attack because the heart is starved of oxygen.
‘Overweight’ adults age 70 or older are less likely to die over a 10-year period than those of ‘normal’ weight: new study calls into question current BMI guidelines for older adults – Adults aged over 70 years who are classified as overweight are less likely to die over a ten year period than adults who are in the ‘normal’ weight range.
Landmark heart treatment study — Atrial fibrillation treatment with catheter shows better results than drug therapy – Treating a common heart rhythm disorder by burning heart tissue with a catheter works dramatically better than drug treatments, according to a landmark study published in the Jan. 27 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).
Copper from home plumbing is one metal that may increase the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and other age-related disorders. – A new study linked high levels of copper and iron to Alzheimer’s disease, heart disease, and other age-related disorders. The report is published in ACS’ Chemical Research in Toxicology.
Analysis of new data confirms bisphenol A link to disease in adults — New findings confirm those of 2008 study – Researchers from the Peninsula Medical School and the University of Exeter, UK, have found more evidence for a link between Bisphenol A exposure (BPA, a chemical commonly used in plastic food containers) and cardiovascular disease.
Yoga reduces cytokine levels known to promote inflammation – Regularly practicing yoga exercises may lower a number of compounds in the blood and reduce the level of inflammation that normally rises because of both normal aging and stress, a new study has shown.
UCLA study shows metformin is safe for patients with advanced heart failure and diabetes mellitus — Drug may improve survival rates for these patients – A new study has shown that metformin, a drug often used in the treatment of diabetes mellitus, is safe for use in treating patients who have both diabetes and advanced heart failure.
Putting limits on vitamin E — The potent antioxidant may do more harm than good, Tel Aviv University research suggests. – Indiscriminate use of high-dose Vitamin E supplementation does more harm than good, revealed by a research group from Tel Aviv University.
Study finds increased risk of death, stroke in postmenopausal women taking antidepressants — Findings signal need for individual risk assessment, additional study – Women participating in the Women’s Health Initiative study who reported taking an antidepressant drug had a small but statistically significant increase in the risk of stroke and of death compared with participants not taking antidepressants.
Cooling may benefit children after cardiac arrest — Multicenter study evaluates effectiveness of therapeutic hypothermia in extending survival and reducing brain injury. – When the heart is stopped and restarted, the patient’s life may be saved but their brain is often permanently damaged. Therapeutic hypothermia, a treatment in which the patient’s body temperature is lowered and maintained several degrees below normal for a period of time, has been shown to mitigate these harmful effects and improve survival in adults.
Breastfeeding a child may protect women from metabolic syndrome, a condition linked to diabetes and heart disease in women – Breastfeeding a child may lower a woman’s risk of developing Metabolic Syndrome, a condition linked to heart disease and diabetes in women, according to a Kaiser Permanente study.
