Heart Archives

Improved cognitive health among older Americans

Rates of cognitive impairment among older Americans are on the decline, according to a new study supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) comparing the cognitive health of older people in 1993 and 2002. Higher levels of education were associated with better cognitive health. – Higher levels of health education improved cognitive health among older Americans. Rates of cognitive impairment among older Americans are on the decline, according to a new study supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) comparing the cognitive health of older people in 1993 and 2002.

New chemical tool kit reveals insights into drug toxicity

A Harvard Medical School team led by Vamsi Mootha has developed a new chemical tool kit that helps in explaining how drugs can affect its users, reveals insights into drug toxicity. – Why do nearly 1 million people taking cholesterol-lowering statins often experience muscle cramps? Why is it that in the rare case when a diabetic takes medication for intestinal worms, his glucose levels improve? Is there any scientific basis for the purported health effects of green tea?

Tougher action needed on alcohol misuse

British Medical Association lobbied for higher taxes on alcohol, an end to happy hours. – A new hard-hitting report ‘Alcohol misuse: tackling the UK epidemic’ launched by the British Medical Association (BMA) calls on governments to show leadership and implement a full range of effective control policies that will reduce the burden of alcohol misuse.

Reducing kids’ salt intake lowers soft drink consumption

A reduction in salt intake could play a role in helping to reduce childhood obesity through its effect on sugar-sweetened soft drink consumption. – Children who eat less salt drink fewer sugar-sweetened soft drinks and may significantly lower their risks for obesity, elevated blood pressure and later-in-life heart attack and stroke, researchers reported in the print and online issue of Hypertension: Journal of the American Heart Association.

Daytime dozing increases stroke risk in elderly

Older people who have significant trouble staying awake during the day have more than four times the normal risk of having a stroke, US researchers said. – Regular daytime dozing forewarns of a significantly increased risk of stroke in older Americans, researchers reported at the American Stroke Association’s International Stroke Conference 2008.

Extra investment for Shirley patients, UK

Solihull NHS Care Trust has approved an extra ?145,000 to extend and modernize Haslucks Surgery in Haslucks Green Road, Shirley. – Solihull NHS Care Trust has approved an extra ?145,000 a year investment to help improve primary care services in Shirley. The money will be used to extend and modernize Haslucks Surgery in Haslucks Green Road, Shirley. Local residents can look forward to even more primary care facilities nearer their homes and may have shorter waits for treatment.

Cholesterol drug statins may reduce heart’s atrial fibrillation

Special issue of JACC features intriguing link between statins and Atrial Fibrillation (AF) prevention, tools to ensure the highest-quality AF care, and more. – When we’re young, a racing heart often means love is in the air. If you’re a “baby boomer,” it might mean you’ve just joined the 2.2 million Americans who have atrial fibrillation (AF), an irregularity in the heart’s rhythm that grows more common as we age and markedly increases the risk for stroke.

Heart attack survival lower during nights and weekends

Occurrence of in-hospital cardiac arrest and survival patterns have not been characterized by time of day or day of week. This study reported that survival rates from in-hospital cardiac arrest are lower during nights and weekends. – Patients who have an in-hospital cardiac arrest at night or on the weekend have a substantially lower rate of survival to discharge than hospitalized patients who experience a cardiac arrest during day/evening times on weekdays, according to a study in the February 20 issue of JAMA.

Using HEPA filters improve heart health

One day doctors may recommend using high efficiency particle air (HEPA) filters along with weight loss, smoking cessation, and exercise to improve cardiovascular health, according to researchers in Denmark. – Using HEPA filters for just two days significantly improved a key measure of cardiovascular health in healthy, non-smoking elderly individuals, revealed by researchers in a recent study.

India suffering from smoking epidemic

India caught in catastrophic smoking epidemic, researchers predict 1M tobacco deaths a year during the 2010s – India is in the midst of a catastrophic epidemic of smoking deaths, which is expected to cause about one million (10 lakh) deaths a year during the 2010s ? including one in five of all male deaths and one in 20 of all female deaths at ages 30-69.

Part of ACCORD study halted due to safety concerns

Canadian Diabetes Association has issued its position statement regarding safety concerns of diabetes treatment in ACCORD study. It is important that people with diabetes not make any changes to their treatments or adjust their blood glucose targets without speaking to their healthcare team. – Canadian Diabetes Association has issued its position statement regarding safety concerns of diabetes treatment in ACCORD study – “It is important that people with diabetes not make any changes to their treatments or adjust their blood glucose targets without speaking to their healthcare team”.

Aircraft noise raises blood pressure even whilst sleeping

Acute effects of night-time noise exposure on blood pressure in populations living near airports – Effects of noise exposure on elevated subsequent BP measurements were clearly shown. The effect size of the noise level appears to be independent of the noise source. – Night-time noise from aircraft or traffic can increase a person’s blood pressure even if it does not wake them, according to a new study published in the European Heart Journal. Scientists from Imperial College London and other European institutions monitored 140 sleeping volunteers in their homes near London Heathrow and three other major European airports.