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.
High consumption of fish oil may benefit cardiovascular health, Pitt public health finds – Eating fish in amounts comparable to those of people living in Japan seems to impart a protective factor that wards off heart disease, revealed by researchers.
Baby hearts need rhythm to develop correctly – To develop correctly, baby hearts need rhythm even before they have blood to pump. “We have discovered that mechanical forces are important when making baby hearts,” said Mary Kathryn Sewell-Loftin, a Vanderbilt graduate student working with a team of Vanderbilt engineers, scientists and clinicians attempting to grow replacement heart valves from a patient’s own cells.
FDA approves pediatric use of Dexcom’s G4 Platinum continuous glucose monitoring system – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved the expanded use of the Dexcom G4 Platinum Continuous Monitoring System for patients with diabetes ages 2 to 17 years. The G4 Platinum System, which monitors blood glucose levels in people with diabetes, had been approved for patients ages 18 and older.
People who enjoy life maintain better physical function as they age – People who enjoy life maintain better physical function in daily activities and keep up faster walking speeds as they age, compared with people who enjoy life less, according to a new study in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).
Researchers discover how heart arrhythmia occurs – Researchers have discovered the fundamental biology of calcium waves in relation to heart arrhythmias. The findings published this month in the January 19 edition of Nature Medicine outlines the discovery of this fundamental physiological process that researchers hope will one day help design molecularly tailored medications that correct the pathophysiology.
Fish derived serum omega-3 fatty acids help reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes – High concentrations of serum long-chain omega-3 fatty acids from fish and fish oils may help reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is becoming increasingly widespread throughout the world, including Finland.
High good and low bad cholesterol levels are healthy for the brain, too – High levels of “good” cholesterol and low levels of “bad” cholesterol are correlated with lower levels of the amyloid plaque deposition in the brain that is a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease, UC Davis researchers have found.
Findings Not Supportive of Women-Specific Chest Pain Symptoms in Heart Attack Diagnosis – Using chest pain characteristics (CPCs) specific to women in the early diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction (AMI, heart attack) in the emergency department does not seem to be supported by the findings of a study published by JAMA.
High salt levels in common medicines put patients at increased risk of cardiovascular events — Researchers call for salt content of medicines to be labeled in same way as foods – Taking the maximum daily dose of some medicines would exceed the recommended daily limits for sodium, without any additional dietary intake. Public should be warned about the potential dangers of high sodium intake from prescribed medicines, reveals new study.
Regular physical activity in later life boosts likelihood of ‘healthy aging’ up to sevenfold — Helps stave off major ill health and dementia even for those getting started relatively late – It’s never too late to get physically active, with even those starting relatively late in life reaping significant health benefits, reveals researchers. Four years of sustained regular physical activity boosted the likelihood of healthy ageing sevenfold compared with consistent inactivity.
