Preventing heart disease starts much earlier than you may realize, according to a new American Heart Association (AHA) scientific statement published Feb. 13, 2023 in the AHA’s flagship, peer-reviewed journal Circulation. The statement, “Optimizing Prepregnancy Cardiovascular Health to Improve Outcomes in Pregnant and Postpartum Individuals and Their Offspring,” summarizes the available data connecting a woman’s… Continue reading Heart Health Begins Before Birth
Tag: cardiovascular
Heart Disease Patients and COVID-19
Deaths from ischemic heart disease and hypertensive diseases in the United States increased during the COVID-19 pandemic over the prior year, while globally, COVID-19 was associated with significant disruptions in cardiovascular disease testing. These findings are from two papers publishing in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology that examined the indirect effects of… Continue reading Heart Disease Patients and COVID-19
Psychosocial Well-Being May Help Heart Health in Black Adults
Feeling optimistic, that you have a sense of purpose in life and that you are in control of your environment – characteristics of psychosocial resilience – are associated with having better cardiovascular health among Black adults, independent of neighborhood context, according to a study published in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes, an American Heart Association… Continue reading Psychosocial Well-Being May Help Heart Health in Black Adults
Study Links Psoriasis Treatment and Improvement in Heart Artery Disease
Treating the inflammatory skin disease psoriasis with biologic drugs can reduce the early plaque buildup that clogs arteries and leads to heart attacks and strokes, researchers say. Their findings highlight how immunotherapies that treat inflammatory conditions might play a role in the reduction of cardiovascular disease risks. The study, funded by the National Heart, Lung,… Continue reading Study Links Psoriasis Treatment and Improvement in Heart Artery Disease
Some Kinds of Exercise Have Greater Heart Benefits than Others
Physical training is important for heart health. But not every kind of exercise will have the same cardiovascular benefits. New research presented at the American College of Cardiology Latin America Conference found that “static”activities—such as strength training—were more strongly associated with reducing heart disease risks than “dynamic” activities like walking and cycling. “Both strength training… Continue reading Some Kinds of Exercise Have Greater Heart Benefits than Others
Heart Disease and Stroke Deaths Hitting Middle-Aged Adults in Large Numbers
Despite being largely preventable, heart attacks, strokes, heart failure and other related conditions caused 2.2 million hospitalizations in 2016, resulting in $32.7 billion in costs and 415,000 deaths, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Many of these events were in adults ages 35-64, with over 775,000 hospitalizations and 75,000 deaths… Continue reading Heart Disease and Stroke Deaths Hitting Middle-Aged Adults in Large Numbers
The Benefits of Full-Fat Dairy Products
Go ahead and enjoy that full-fat yogurt! There’s no significant link between dairy fats and heart disease and stroke, according to new research. In fact, some types of dairy fat may help guard against having a severe stroke. The analysis, by scientists from The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth), was published… Continue reading The Benefits of Full-Fat Dairy Products
Stopping Aspirin Therapy Can Be Dangerous: Study
Editor’s Note: Here, from the American Heart Association, an update on aspirin therapy and why it may be risky to quit it: Stopping long-term, low-dose aspirin therapy may increase your risk of suffering a cardiovascular event, according to new research in the American Heart Association’s journal Circulation. Aspirin, taken in low doses, is used to… Continue reading Stopping Aspirin Therapy Can Be Dangerous: Study
A New Era in Diabetes Treatment?
A drug used to treat people with type 2 diabetes also significantly reduces the risk of both cardiovascular and kidney disease, according to new research. The study, by The George Institute for Global Health, based in Newtown, Australia, has major implications for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. The illness affects around 450 million people… Continue reading A New Era in Diabetes Treatment?
Study: CT Angiography May Be Better at Predicting Future Cardiac Episodes
According to new research, CT angiography better predicted the risk of future cardiac events than did measures of exercise tolerance or of restricted blood flow to the heart muscle. The conclusion was reached after an analysis of diagnostic test results from the Prospective Multicenter Imaging Study for Evaluation of Chest Pain (PROMISE) trial, in which… Continue reading Study: CT Angiography May Be Better at Predicting Future Cardiac Episodes
Study: Red Meat Doesn’t Influence Short-Term Cardiovascular Risks
Some good news for meat lovers: Consuming red meat in higher-than-recommended amounts does not affect short-term cardiovascular disease risk factors, such as blood pressure and blood cholesterol, according to a new review of clinical trials from Purdue University. “During the last 20 years, there have been recommendations to eat less red meat as part of… Continue reading Study: Red Meat Doesn’t Influence Short-Term Cardiovascular Risks
New Benefits Found for Aspirin
Taking an aspirin a day can help some older Americans reduce heart-attack risk, prevent some cancers and cancer deaths, and extend their lives, according to a new study from the University of Southern California (USc). The study found that the people who benefited from daily low-dose aspirin had a high risk of heart disease. Researchers… Continue reading New Benefits Found for Aspirin
Sex in Later Years: Healthier for Women than Men?
Having sex frequently – and enjoying it – puts older men at higher risk for heart attacks and other cardiovascular problems. For older women, however, good sex may actually lower the risk of hypertension. That’s according to the first large-scale study of how sex affects heart health in later life. The federally funded research, led… Continue reading Sex in Later Years: Healthier for Women than Men?
Diet and Exercise Equally Effective Against Heart Disease
When it comes to improving cardiovascular health, what’s important is weight loss – but not how you do it. Exercise and dieting, or a combination of both, are equally effective. “For men and women with excess body weight, modest weight loss provides powerful protection against cardiovascular disease, regardless of whether weight loss is achieved by… Continue reading Diet and Exercise Equally Effective Against Heart Disease
Standing Up for Yourself Is Worth It
Although avoiding disagreements might seem easier than confronting them, in fact it’s worth the effort, new research shows. A new study from the University at Buffalo that assessed bodily responses suggests that standing up for your beliefs, expressing your opinions and demonstrating your core values can be a positive psychological experience. There can be a… Continue reading Standing Up for Yourself Is Worth It
The Good-News Grain
Barley may be the latest good-news grain: eating it or foods containing it significantly reduces the levels of two types of “bad cholesterol” that’s linked with cardiovascular disease. Researchers from St. Michael’s Hospital, Toronto, found that barley reduced both low-density lipoprotein, or LDL, and non-high-density lipoprotein, or non-HDL, by seven per cent. The review, published… Continue reading The Good-News Grain
Rage and “Stonewalling” Linked to Different Health Problems
Conflict can cause health problems – but exactly what kind of problem depends on whether you let your rage out or shut down emotionally. New research from UC Berkeley and Northwestern University, based on how couples behave during conflicts, suggests outbursts of anger predict cardiovascular problems later in life. Conversely, shutting down emotionally or “stonewalling”… Continue reading Rage and “Stonewalling” Linked to Different Health Problems
Heart Drug May Raise Risk of Alzheimer’s and Macular Degeneration
A drug that can halt the progression of heart failure and reduce cardiovascular-related deaths may have serious side effects, including increased risk of Alzheimer’s and macular degeneration, according to an article published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. The drug — a tablet that combines the agents valsartan and sacubitril, sold under the… Continue reading Heart Drug May Raise Risk of Alzheimer’s and Macular Degeneration