The main pumping chamber of the heart ages differently in men and women, according to a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) study published online in October 2015 in the journal Radiology. Researchers said the findings may support different treatment approaches for men and women with heart disease. A release from the society explains that the mass… Continue reading The Heart Ages Differently in Women Than in Men
Category: Heart Health
Your heart keeps your body running. And we keep you on top of everything you need to know about heart health so that you’re in the know.
How Blood Thinners Can Help Afib Patients
If you’re one of the 2.7 million Americans who have atrial fibrillation, you have an increased risk of a stroke. You can greatly reduce the risk of a stroke by 50% to 60% by taking a blood thinner (anticoagulant). A stroke occurs when blood flow to the brain is blocked by a clot, depriving brain… Continue reading How Blood Thinners Can Help Afib Patients
Drinking Cranberry Juice May Protect the Heart
Results from a study presented in October at the Cranberry Health Research Conference preceding the annual Berry Health Benefits Symposium 2015 in Madison, Wisconsn revealed that cranberry juice consumption may play a role in protecting against cardiovascular disease. Presented by principal investigator, Ana Rodriguez-Mateos, PhD, from the Division of Cardiology, Pulmonology and Vascular Medicine at… Continue reading Drinking Cranberry Juice May Protect the Heart
Standing at Work Burns Extra Calories
If you want to avoid sitting all day, try standing – at your desk. According to a new University of Iowa study, employees with sit-stand desks stood 60 minutes more a day at work compared to their co-workers with sitting desks, and they continued to do so long after their desks lost their novelty. Plus,… Continue reading Standing at Work Burns Extra Calories
No Link Between Coffee and AFib
There is no association between coffee consumption and an increased risk of atrial fibrillation (AFib), according to research published September 2015 in the open access journal BMC Medicine. The research includes a meta-analysis of four other studies, making it the largest study its kind, involving nearly 250,000 individuals over the course of 12 years. A… Continue reading No Link Between Coffee and AFib
The Latest on Pain Relievers: Answers from the FDA
Here, a Q & A with Sharon Hertz, Deputy Director of FDA’s Division of Anesthesia, Analgesia, and Rheumatology Products, who has been with FDA for 15 years. Dr. Hertz graduated from SUNY Upstate Medical Center in Syracuse, N.Y., and completed her residency in neurology at SUNY Health Sciences Center at Brooklyn. This Q&A reflects the… Continue reading The Latest on Pain Relievers: Answers from the FDA
Sex Does Not Increase Heart Attack Risk
Even if you’ve already had a heart attack, go ahead and enjoy some lovin’ in the bedroom! Sex is rarely the cause of a heart attack, and most heart disease patients can safely resume sexual activity after a heart attack, according to a research letter published in September 2015 in the Journal of the American… Continue reading Sex Does Not Increase Heart Attack Risk
Beet Juice Boosts Muscle Power in Heart Patients
Researchers from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have found that drinking concentrated beet juice increases muscle power in patients with heart failure. “It’s a small study, but we see robust changes in muscle power about two hours after patients drink the beet juice,” said senior author Linda R. Peterson, MD, associate professor… Continue reading Beet Juice Boosts Muscle Power in Heart Patients
The Truth About the Headlines Regarding Aspirin as a Preventive Measure
When the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force released a draft of a recommendation on September 15th 2015 regarding the use of aspirin to prevent heart disease and cancer, headlines heralding the news in both in print and online proliferated quickly. The New York Times blared “In a First, Aspirin Is Recommended to Fight a Form… Continue reading The Truth About the Headlines Regarding Aspirin as a Preventive Measure
Blood Vessels and Cardiovascular Disease
Better treatments for vascular disease may be on the horizon with the discovery of an age-releated link to artery-related illnesses such as cardiovascular disease and stroke. “Aging affects everyone and causes changes throughout our bodies,” said Erika Boerman, PhD, a post-doctoral fellow in the Department of Medical Pharmacology and Physiology at the University of Missouri… Continue reading Blood Vessels and Cardiovascular Disease
Heart Rate & Variability Linked to Poorer Function as We Age
A higher resting heart rate and lower heart rate variability in older adults at high risk of heart disease are associated with poorer ability to function in daily life as well as future decline, according to research published in August 2015 in the Canadian Medical Association Journal. A release from the publisher quotes Dr. Behnam… Continue reading Heart Rate & Variability Linked to Poorer Function as We Age
Increased Risk of a Heart Attack Right After Joint Replacement Surgery
Boston-based researchers found that osteoarthritis patients who had total knee or hip joint replacement surgery known as arthroplasty were at increased risk of heart attacks (myocardial infarction) in the early post-operative period. However, the good news is that long-term risk of heart attacks did not persist. Yet the not-so-good news is that the risk for… Continue reading Increased Risk of a Heart Attack Right After Joint Replacement Surgery
Landmark NIH Study Finds Intensive BP Management May Save Lives
If you’ve been diagnosed with high blood pressure and you’re controlling it by keeping your systolic pressure under 140, you may need to get that number down to 120. That’s the finding of the Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial (SPRINT) released September 11th 2015 by the National Institutes of Health. A release from the American… Continue reading Landmark NIH Study Finds Intensive BP Management May Save Lives
Palliative Care and Heart-Failure Patients
Inpatient palliative care helped heart-failure patients to have a better quality of life, according to a trial conducted by researchers at Abbott Northwestern Hospital, part of the Allina Health system. As a result of those findings, bbott Northwestern conducted a new study, “A Description of Inpatient Palliative Care Actions for Patients with Acute Heart Failure,”… Continue reading Palliative Care and Heart-Failure Patients
“Fountain of Youth” Protein May Have Health Benefits
People previously diagnosed with heart disease may be less likely to experience heart failure, heart attacks, or stroke, or to die from these events, if they have higher blood levels of two very closely related proteins, according to a study led by a University of California, San Francisco research team and published online August 20th… Continue reading “Fountain of Youth” Protein May Have Health Benefits
Just 1 in 10 Are Referred for Cardiac Rehab After Heart Failure
Studies have shown that those who undergo dedicated cardiac rehabilitation focused on aerobic exercise are more capable of performing daily activities. Yet only 1 in 10 heart failure patients is referred to a cardiac rehabilitation program after being hospitalized, despite strong evidence that such exercise programs improve quality of life and reduce the likelihood of… Continue reading Just 1 in 10 Are Referred for Cardiac Rehab After Heart Failure
Hypertension Patients Benefit from Pharmacist Care
Patients with high blood pressure fare better when a pharmacist is part of their health-care team, according to new research from the University of Iowa. The investigators, who published their findings in the Journal of the American Society of Hypertension, showed that teams that included pharmacists gave more hands-on and tailored medication regimens to patients.… Continue reading Hypertension Patients Benefit from Pharmacist Care
High BP in Your 50’s May Mean Cognitive Decline Later
Having high blood pressure in your 50’s may impact your ability to keep track or plan ahead in your 80’s, according to a study done at Boston University Medical Center and published in July 2015 in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease. A release from the university notes that life expectancy is on the rise and… Continue reading High BP in Your 50’s May Mean Cognitive Decline Later