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.
Death rates same for diabetes and heart disease patients receiving drug therapy or surgery. – There is no difference in mortality among patients with type 2 diabetes and stable heart disease who received prompt bypass surgery or angioplasty compared to drug therapy alone, according to a landmark study focused exclusively on patients with both conditions.
Embracing your primitive nature can help in fight against depression – KU researcher finds primitive lifestyle elements ease depression. – He doesn’t care for the term “caveman therapy.” But Stephen Ilardi, associate professor of clinical psychology at the University of Kansas, has turned to our hunter-gatherer ancestors for clues about how to best combat major depressive disorder.
Myocardial infarction patients are experiencing onerous fatigue four months after the infarction. – Half of all patients who undergo myocardial infarction are experiencing onerous fatigue four months after the infarction. The patients who are most fatigued are those who perceive the infarction as a sign of chronic illness, those who experience the illness as difficult to control, and those who believe that the illness has a large impact on their life.
High blood pressure patients with related and non-related co-existing medical conditions were more likely to receive overall good quality care . – Contrary to some previous indications, sicker high blood pressure patients are more likely to receive high-quality care than those with fewer medical needs, researchers report in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.
Certain drug-coated stents may be safe, effective option for elderly patients – Stents coated with the drug paclitaxel may be a safe, effective treatment option for coronary artery disease (CAD) patients age 70 and older and shouldn’t be withheld due to advanced patient age, according to a study reported in Circulation: Cardiovascular Interventions.
Rolofylline Did Not Demonstrate Efficacy for Acute Heart Failure in Clinical Trial – Merck’s experimental heart failure drug rolofylline failed to meet the goals in a clinical trial, failing to improve patients. Merck won’t seek approval this year for this heart failure drug rolofylline after preliminary results.
WHO urged governments to require that all tobacco packages include pictorial warnings to show the sickness and suffering caused by tobacco use. – Warnings on tobacco product packaging increase public awareness of the serious health risks of tobacco use. Images are a particularly powerful and cost-effective vehicle for communicating the risks.
Report updates guidelines on how much weight women should gain during pregnancy – Calls on health care providers to help women achieve a healthy weight before and during pregnancy. – A growing amount of scientific evidence indicates that how much weight women gain during pregnancy and their starting weight at conception can affect their health and that of their babies, says a new report from the Institute of Medicine and the National Research Council.
Following a healthy lifestyle is on the decline in the US – Researchers urge individuals to adopt healthier lifestyles, particularly in middle age. – Despite the well-known benefits of having a lifestyle that includes physical activity, eating a diet high in fruits and vegetables, maintaining a healthy weight, moderate alcohol use and not smoking, only a small proportion of adults follow this healthy lifestyle pattern, and in fact, the numbers are declining, according to an article published in the June 2009 issue of The American Journal of Medicine.
Scientists find shared genetic link between the dental disease periodontitis and heart attack – The relationship between the dental disease periodontitis and coronary heart disease (CHD) has been known for several years. Although a genetic link seemed likely, until now its existence was uncertain.
Genetic variations contribute to depression in heart disease patients. – Individuals with heart disease are twice as likely to suffer from depression as the general population, an association the medical community has largely been unable to explain. Now, a new study by researchers at The Miriam Hospital, in conjunction with The Montr?al Heart Institute, University of Montr?al and McGill University, reveals there may be genetic variations that contribute to depression in heart disease patients.
Better Cardiorespiratory Fitness Related to Lower Risk of Death, Cardiovascular Disease – Persons with higher levels of cardiorespiratory fitness have a lower risk of all-cause death and coronary heart disease and cardiovascular disease compared to persons with lower levels of cardiorespiratory fitness, according to an analysis of previous studies appearing in the May 20 issue of JAMA.
