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
Tag: Heart Health
A Protein That Could Help with Heart Vitality
Levels of a protein called vinculin increase with age to change the performance of heart muscle cells, helping to maintain heart vitality over decades, according to researchers. The investigation was conducted in fruit flies, rats and monkeys by scientists at Johns Hopkins, UC San Diego, and other institutions. “The heart is an amazingly resilient organ… Continue reading A Protein That Could Help with Heart Vitality
Music Increases Cardio Exercise Adherence by 70%
The use of personalized music playlists with tempo-pace synchronization increases adherence to cardiac rehab by almost 70 per cent, according to a study done at the University Health Network in Toronto and published in May 2015 in Sports Medicine -Open. A release from the University Health Network quotes Dr. David Alter, Senior Scientist, Toronto Rehab,… Continue reading Music Increases Cardio Exercise Adherence by 70%
More than Half of All Older Adults Take Aspirin for Health Reasons
Slightly more than half of older adults in the U.S. are taking a daily dose of aspirin, even though the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) hasn’t recommended it for people who have not yet had a heart attack or stroke. The analysis, published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, observed that aspirin use… Continue reading More than Half of All Older Adults Take Aspirin for Health Reasons
A Grateful Heart Is a Healthier Heart
Recognizing and giving thanks for the positive aspects of life can result in improved mental, and ultimately physical, health in patients with asymptomatic heart failure, according to research published in the journal Spirituality in Clinical Practice in April 2015 by the American Psychological Association. A release from the association quotes lead author Paul J. Mills,… Continue reading A Grateful Heart Is a Healthier Heart
Some Afib Patients Get Unnecessary Blood Thinners
About a quarter of all atrial fibrillation (AF) patients at the lowest risk for stroke receive unnecessary blood thinners from cardiology specialists, according to researchers at the University of California, San Francisco who contend that the providers must be made aware of the resulting potential health risks. Their research letter appears online and will be… Continue reading Some Afib Patients Get Unnecessary Blood Thinners
“Nanomedicine” Reduces Heart Attack Risk
A team led by researchers from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City showed that “nanomedicine” — the use of of tiny machines — can halt the growth of artery plaque cells, thus resulting in the fast reduction of the inflammation that may cause a heart attack. The study was… Continue reading “Nanomedicine” Reduces Heart Attack Risk
Statin Guidelines May Over-Target Seniors & Miss Middle-Agers
The newest guidelines for the use of cholesterol-lowering statins in people at risk of heart disease may be too generic, excluding middle-aged adults who could benefit from the drugs and over-prescribing in older adults, according to a study from the Duke Clinical Research Institute published in March 2015 in the Journal of the American College… Continue reading Statin Guidelines May Over-Target Seniors & Miss Middle-Agers
Safer Drug Combo for AFib
Patients with high-risk atrial fibrillation, or AFib, often require one drug to regulate heart rhythm and a second drug to thin their blood and reduce the risk of stroke. A study led by a University of Missouri School of Medicine cardiologist and published in March 2015 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology,… Continue reading Safer Drug Combo for AFib
A Sense of Purpose May Protect Your Heart
Having a high sense of purpose in life may lower your risk of heart disease and stroke. That’s the finding of a study led by researchers at Mount Sinai St. Luke’s and Mount Sinai Roosevelt in New York City and presented on March 6th 2015 at the American Heart Association’s EPI/Lifestyle 2015 Scientific Sessions in… Continue reading A Sense of Purpose May Protect Your Heart
Women’s Heart Disease Should Be a Research Priority
The latest gender-specific research on heart disease continues to show differences between women and men, yet gaps remain in how to best diagnose, treat and prevent this number one killer of women, according to studies published in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes, an American Heart Association journal. A portion of the March 2015 issue, published… Continue reading Women’s Heart Disease Should Be a Research Priority
6 Heart-Healthy Habits for February, American Heart Month
Despite decades of medical research and public campaigns to ease the problem, heart disease is the No. 1 killer in the United States and throughout the Western world.One of the problems driving heart disease is the messaging, says Robert Thompson, M.D., an integrative medicine specialist deemed by his peers to be in the top 5… Continue reading 6 Heart-Healthy Habits for February, American Heart Month
A New Understanding of Cardiovascular Disease Risk
Researchers appear to have found an improved way of diagnosing cardiovascular disease risk. An investigation at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center focused on cholesterol efflux capacity (cholesterol efflux), which measures the risk of heart disease. It appears to be a better indicator of risk than standard HDL cholesterol measurements. The findings were published… Continue reading A New Understanding of Cardiovascular Disease Risk
Valve Replacement Is Often Low Risk for Older Patients
Patients who are 90 years or older and have a narrowed heart valve can safely be given a valve replacement, according to new research. The operation to do this, known as aortic valve replacement (AVR), has only a low risk of death, or a stroke during the procedure. In the study, four out of five… Continue reading Valve Replacement Is Often Low Risk for Older Patients
New Hope for Healing the Heart
Researchers from UCLA have discovered that cells that form scars in the heart can change into the kind of cells that help the heart to heal. The study focused on the scar-forming cells, known as fibroblasts, and their ability to transform into endothelial cells, which form blood vessels. That discovery could pave the way for… Continue reading New Hope for Healing the Heart
Fall Fruit and Vegetable Guide
With fall come brisk days, turning leaves – and a bounty of tempting, seasonal fruits and vegetables. Here, the experts from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) offer tips on what fruits and veggies are best right now, and how to pick the best in the market: F R U I T… Continue reading Fall Fruit and Vegetable Guide
A New Tool to Detect Atrial Fibrillation
Thanks to a new technology, a web camera can distinguish whether someone is suffering atrial fibrillation, a potentially serious heart condition.
A project by researchers from the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, showed that subtle changes in skin color can be used to detect the kind of uneven blood flow caused by atrial fibrillation. The technology was developed in a partnership between the university and Xerox.
The findings were published in the journal Heart Rhythm.
Drinking Tea Reduces Non-CV Mortality
Drinking tea reduces non-cardiovascular mortality by 24% according to a study of 131,000 people presented at European Society for Cardiology Congress in Barcelna on August 31st 2014 by Professor Nicolas Danchin from France.