Cardiovascular Health News

New Drug May Revolutionize Treatment of Atrial Fibrillation Reported October 26, 2011 (Ivanhoe Newswire) – Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common type of heart arrhythmia that causes five times greater risk for stroke. A new drug has the potential to revolutionize the treatment of AF and battle the deadly disorder. "The majority of patients with atrial … [Read more...]

Pythons Promote Healthy Heart Growth Reported October 31, 2011 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- If you have a fear of snakes, hopefully this will change your mind! According to a recent study, fatty acids circulating through feeding python bloodstreams promote healthy heart growth in the constricting snake and the results may have implications for treating human heart disease. … [Read more...]

SOS from a Damaged Heart Reported October 3, 2011 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Your heart is calling for help, and doctors may finally be able to answer. Approximately one million Americans have a heart attack each year. Now, subtle markers of heart damage have been found; hidden in plain sight. According to a new study published in the September 28 edition of Science … [Read more...]

A Less Painful Way To Jolt A Heart Reported September 30, 2011 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Painful jolts are so yesterday! Each year in the United States, more than 200,000 people have a cardiac defibrillator implanted in their chest to deliver a high-voltage shock to prevent sudden cardiac death from a life-threatening arrhythmia. While it is a necessary and effective … [Read more...]

Healthy Habits = Happy Hearts Reported September 15, 2011 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- If you're good to your body, your heart will reward you. A new study reveals people can significantly reduce their risk for heart failure by partaking in four healthy behaviors: not smoking, keeping weight under control, getting regular exercise and consuming vegetables. Heart failure … [Read more...]

Hormone Predicts Death Risk in Kidney Patients Reported September 14, 2011 (Ivanhoe Newswire) – High levels of a hormone, FGF-23, can predict which kidney patients will develop heart problems, require dialysis, or die prematurely, according to this study. "This discovery allows us to predict at-risk patients before they require dialysis," lead investigator Michel … [Read more...]

Cheaper Heart Disease Drugs are underused Reported August 30, 2011 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- A global study reveals that inexpensive drug treatments for cardiovascular disease that have been proven to save lives are substantially underused worldwide. Around 60% of individuals with heart disease and up to half of patients who have had a stroke might not be taking any of … [Read more...]

Japan: Radioactive Elements Found in Children's Thyroid Glands Reported August 19, 2011 In Japan's stricken nuclear plant area, around 45 percent of children were found to have traces of radioactive elements in their thyroid glands, says an official. The official said that the iodine concentrations -- found in … [Read more...]

Brown rice cuts heart risk, high BP Reported May 04, 2010 Brown or half-milled rice may reduce the risk of heart disease and high blood pressure by interfering with a protein linked to those conditions, suggests a new study by researchers at the Cardiovascular Research Center and Department of Physiology at Temple … [Read more...]

Cheaper Heart Disease Drugs are underused Reported August 30, 2011 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- A global study reveals that inexpensive drug treatments for cardiovascular disease that have been proven to save lives are substantially underused worldwide. Around 60% of individuals with heart disease and up to half of patients who have had a stroke might not be taking any of … [Read more...]

A Chocolate a Day = The Heart Doctor Away Reported August 30, 2011 (Ivanhoe Newswire) – The World Health Organization predicts that by 2030, nearly 23.6 million people will die from heart disease. However, lifestyle and diet are key factors in preventing heart disease. According to this study, high levels of chocolate consumption might be associated with a one … [Read more...]

Smart Stethoscope Saves Lives Reported August 15, 2011 WASHINGTON (Ivanhoe Newswire) --It might be cold on your skin, but during a physical exam a doctor’s stethoscope is one of the best ways to listen to your lungs and heart, and help diagnose some illnesses. Next, learn about a smart stethoscope that simulates sounds of the body. The sound of a healthy heartbeat … [Read more...]

Repairing Hearts with Stem Cells Reported July 27, 2011 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Preventing heart disease before it starts is a good long-term investment in the nation's health, according to this study. The American Heart Association’s policy statement summarizes years of research on the value of investing in prevention, particularly through community-based changes … [Read more...]

Repairing Hearts with Stem Cells Reported July 15, 2011 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Do you ever wonder what illnesses you might inherit from your parents? According to a new study, people are significantly more likely to inherit a predisposition to heart attack than to stroke. "We found that the association between one of your parents having a heart attack and you … [Read more...]

Repairing Hearts with Stem Cells Reported July 15, 2011 MIAMI, Fla. (Ivanhoe newswire)-- This year, 785,000 people in the U.S will have their first heart attack, and nearly half a million more, who’ve already had one or more heart attacks, will suffer another one. Heart attacks can do serious damage to the heart and affect everything from its size to its ability to … [Read more...]

African Americans Have Higher Heart Attack Risk Reported July 1, 2011 (Ivanhoe Newswire)—Studies have shown that African Americans are at a greater risk of heart attacks, but what causes this? According to a recent study, African Americans have greater levels of non-calcified plaque consisting of buildups of soft deposits deep in the arterial walls. This type of … [Read more...]

Happy Life to Protect Heart Health Reported July 8, 2011 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Risk factors for heart disease have been known to be depression and anxiety, yet beneficial effects of a positive psychological state aren’t as clear. Now, researchers find that a satisfying life is indeed good for the heart. The study analyzed nearly 8,000 British civil servants with an … [Read more...]

Stopping Stroke Damage with a Shot Reported June 17, 2011 NEW ORLEANS, LA (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Every year, 750 thousand Americans suffer a stroke. And more than 150 thousand die. Time is life following an attack, so the sooner you get treatment, the better chance you have to survive. A stroke can take away your ability to speak or even move, functions that may never … [Read more...]

Omega 3s: Good For Patients With Stents? Reported June 1, 2011 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Omega-3 fatty acids, combined with two blood-thinning drugs, significantly changed the blood-clotting process and may reduce the risk of heart attacks in patients with stents in their heart arteries, according to a new study. Foods rich in omega-3, such as salmon and other oily … [Read more...]

The Cold Virus Attacks Brain Tumors Reported May 30, 2011 SAN ANTONIO, TX. (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- The most aggressive form of brain tumors has a new enemy. Gene therapy is giving doctors and patients high hopes. “Oh, it’s just devastating. It’s like your life it's over," John Worch, a brain tumor patient, told Ivanhoe. That’s the first thing that went through John … [Read more...]

Fear of Dying Could Worsen Heart Attack Reported June 3, 2011 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Intense distress and fear of dying, which many people experience during a heart attack, are not only fairly common emotional responses but are also linked to biological changes that occur during that event. These changes are associated with other biological processes during … [Read more...]

Osteoporosis in Heart Failure Patients Reported May 11, 2011 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- One in 10 heart failure patients had compression fractures in the spine that could have been detected by a chest X-ray, but few are receiving treatment to help prevent such fractures. Among 623 heart failure patients, researchers found that 12 percent had moderate to severe … [Read more...]

Preparing for Your Trip to Denmark Reported May 11, 2011 On-the-job stress may make women more susceptible to heart disease, according to the findings of a new study published in the journal Occupational and Environmental Medicine. Reuters reports that scientists from Denmark assessed the impact of work pressure and degree of personal … [Read more...]

Calcium Supplements Linked to Heart Problems Reported April 25, 2011 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- The risk of having a heart attack and other cardiovascular events, particularly in older women, may be influenced by their calcium supplements with or without vitamin D, according to a new study. Older postmenopausal women are often prescribed calcium supplements to … [Read more...]

High Blood Pressure May Come From Mom Reported April 6, 2011 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- A specific genetic defect in one Chinese family shows that high blood pressure was inherited from the mother. The defect results from the substitution of a single DNA "base" for another during replication in the genes of a tiny cellular organ called the mitochondria, which … [Read more...]

Teen BMI Predicts Future Health Reported April 11, 2011 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- We all know diabetes and heart disease are threats as we get older. However, a new study shows that BMI (body mass index) at age 17 can be a reliable predictor of diabetes and heart disease risk. The study was comprised of 37,000 Israeli army career personnel who were monitored … [Read more...]

Mini-Stroke Doubles Risk Of Heart Attack Reported March 28, 2011 (Ivanhoe Newswire) – Sufferers of mini-strokes are twice more likely to have a heart attack than the general population, as reported in Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association. Mini-strokes, called transient-ischemic attacks (TIAs), are the result of blood clots temporarily … [Read more...]

Walnuts Are The Best Heart Healthy Antioxidant Nut Reported March 29, 2011 (Ivanhoe Newswire) – A new study shows walnuts in the No. 1 slot among a family of foods that lay claim to being Mother Nature’s most nearly perfect packaged foods: tree and ground nuts. According to this report, walnuts have a combination of more healthful antioxidants and higher … [Read more...]

14 questions about your heartReported February 14, 2009 Today is the day when hearts abound, from the creamy chocolate variety to puffed-up balloon heart bouquets to hearts snipped from pink paper, signed with love and sealed with a kiss. So perhaps today, in the midst of these confectionary hearts, is the best time of the year to pay tribute to your physical heart – that … [Read more...]

Added sugars increase heart-disease risk Reported April 22, 2010 For decades, advice to ward off heart disease has promoted a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol as a means of keeping blood cholesterol levels in check. A study published today in the Journal of the American Medical Association suggests there’s something else we need to do – scale back our intake of … [Read more...]