The heart is a hollow, muscular organ in vertebrates, responsible for pumping blood through the blood vessels by repeated, rhythmic contractions. The term cardiac, as in cardiology, means – related to the heart – and comes from the Greek word, kardia, for heart.
Banning smoking in public places and workplaces is good for the heart — Inhaling secondhand smoke greatly increases risk of heart attack, even among young and nonsmokers. – Public smoking bans appear to significantly reduce the risk of heart attacks, particularly among younger individuals and nonsmokers, revealed by researchers in a new study.
Noisy roads increase risk of high blood pressure – People exposed to high levels of noise from nearby roads are more likely to report suffering from hypertension, revealed by researchers in BioMed Central’s journal Environmental Health.
Dabigatran vs. warfarin as long-term anticoagulant therapy in atrial fibrillation – The anticoagulant dabigatran is more effective than warfarin in the prevention of stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation, revealed by researchers in a study RE-LY (Randomized Evaluation of Long-term anticoagulant therapY).
Feelings of hopelessness linked to stroke risk in healthy women – Healthy middle-aged women with feelings of hopelessness appear to experience thickening of the neck arteries, which can be a precursor to stroke, revealed by researchers at the University of Minnesota Medical School.
University of Maryland researchers identify gene variant linked to effectiveness of plavix — First study to use genome-wide scanning approach to locate gene that affects response to popular anti-clotting medication. – Patients with a certain genetic variation and who received the antiplatelet drug clopidogrel — Plavix — had a decreased platelet response to treatment, revealed by researchers.
More research on risks and benefits of medical imaging needed – Researchers are evaluating the risks and benefits of medical imaging in patients. They revealed that the average effective dose of radiation nearly double the amount they would otherwise be exposed to from natural sources.
Little known type of cholesterol oxycholesterol may pose the greatest heart disease risk – Health-conscious people know that high levels of total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol (the so-called “bad” cholesterol) can increase the risk of heart attacks.
Whole grain cereals, popcorn rich in antioxidants, not just fiber, new research concludes. – Snack foods like popcorn and many popular breakfast cereals contain “surprisingly large” amounts of healthful antioxidant substances called “polyphenols”, revealed by researchers at the 238th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society (ACS).
Severe breathing disorders during sleep are associated with an increased risk of dying – Moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea is associated with an increased risk of death from any cause in middle-aged adults, especially men, revealed by researchers.
Do high-fat diets make us stupid and lazy? — New research in the FASEB Journal shows that high-fat diets are just as unhealthful in the short term as they are in the long term – Short-term memory getting worse? Exercise getting harder? Examine your diet. Eating a high-fat diet may decrease ability to exercise and cause short-term memory loss.
An apple a day keeps kidney stones away — More fruits and veggies, less salt prevents stones from forming. – Researchers have found another reason to eat well: a healthy diet helps prevent kidney stones. The study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Journal of the American Society Nephrology (JASN).
New research links social stress to harmful fat deposits, heart disease – Social stress could be an important precursor to heart disease by causing the body to deposit more fat in the abdominal cavity, speeding the harmful buildup of plaque in blood vessels, a stepping stone to the number one cause of death in the world.
