Cardiovascular Health News

Dark Chocolate Fights Heart Woes 5 November, 2007 Nov. 5, 2007 (Orlando, Fla.) -- There's more good news for chocolate lovers. A Japanese study suggests that dark chocolate can improve blood flow to heart muscle. That's important because improved coronary blood flow mitigates the risk of chronic chest pain, or … [Read more...]

Ho, ho, ho heart attack?Reported December 26, 2007 The good side of holiday hoopla -- increased camaraderie, generosity of spirit -- can help ease depression for some. But what is balm for the mind can be bad news for the ticker. National statistics show that even as suicides go down during the holiday season, deaths from heart disease go up. Cardiac problems increase so … [Read more...]

Women over 40 with depression may be at risk of developing heart disease: studyReported July 16, 2008 TORONTO - A new study released Wednesday suggests there may be a connection between depression and developing heart disease in middle-aged women. Statistics Canada tracked the health of nearly 5,000 men and women aged 40 or older over a 12-year period and found women had … [Read more...]

Marital Strain Increases Risk of Death, Heart Disease Reported February 18, 2005 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Certain types of marital strain can increase women's risk of death and men's risk of heart disease, say researchers reporting at the Second International Conference on Women, Heart … [Read more...]

Hypertension Treatment In Mexico Improves With Expanded Health Insurance November 08, 2007 Mexico's new health insurance program, Seguro Popular, which was created to extend health insurance to the nation's 50 million uninsured by 2010, is having a positive effect on coverage of antihypertensive treatment in that country, according to a study … [Read more...]

New Procedure Lowers Chronic High Blood PressureReported March 31, 2009 ORLANDO, Fla. (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Radiofrequency ablation of the renal sympathetic nervous system is a promising treatment for those with chronic high blood pressure, according to new research. The procedure -- already used in a similar way to treat certain types of heart arrhythmias -- … [Read more...]

Relax Your Way To Lower Blood Pressure Reported September 22, 2008 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Looking for a drug-free way to lower your blood pressure? The solution may be as simple as taking a few deep breaths. A new study found an audio relaxation program with background sounds of ocean waves and a calming voice lowered blood pressure more than Mozart music in a group of … [Read more...]

Single Dose of Antibiotics Before Surgery Enough to Prevent Infection Reported November 22, 2006 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Giving patients a single dose of antibiotics before a surgery seems to prevent infections just as well as giving them the drugs for 24-hours. Prophylactic antibiotics (preventive … [Read more...]

Study: Stop Smoking Treatments Don’t Last Reported July 15, 2008 (Ivanhoe Newswire) There are a variety of treatments available to help people quit smoking, but evidence shows their effects are not long lasting. A team of researchers at McGill University and the University of Montreal tested six products – varenicline, nicotine nasal spray, buprotion (Wellbutrin), nicotine … [Read more...]

Study: Preserving Heart Function Prevents Aging Reported October 13, 2009 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Scientists prevented age-related changes in the hearts of mice and preserved heart function by suppressing a form of the PI3K gene, according to a new study. "The study provides evidence that delaying or preventing heart failure in humans may be possible," … [Read more...]

Taking Steps After a StrokeReported April 27, 2009 HOPE, R.I. (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Surviving a stroke is only the beginning of the battle. Walking again is at the top of the wish list for those trying to recover. More than half of stroke survivors have difficulty walking on their own or can't get around at all. For some, electricity may speed up the … [Read more...]

Thyroid Hormone Linked to Heart DiseaseReported May 02, 2008 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Even so-called normal levels of the thyroid hormone known as thyrotropin may be putting women at risk for heart disease. New research out of Norway suggests women with increasing levels of the hormone, even when those levels fall within the normal range, may be more likely to experience an … [Read more...]

Statins 'halve risk of heart attack in healthy women'   Reported November 19, 2009 Statins can halve the risk of cardiovascular disease in women who would not normally be considered for treatment, says a recent analysis. An analysis of data from women from the JUPITER trial found 20 mg rosuvastatin treatment reduced their risk of cardiovascular … [Read more...]

Bouncing Back From Bypass Reported October 20, 2008 NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, taking almost 700,000 lives each year. For some, heart bypass surgery to fix blocked arteries is the only option, but fear of a bloody, invasive surgery is no longer a reason to avoid the procedure. Now there's an … [Read more...]

CT scan effective at finding heart blockages November 05, 2007 CTV.ca News Staff : When cardiologists need to know whether a patient has a blockage in their heart vessels, they've traditionally performed surgery called coronary angiography. Now, a new study says there may be a less riskier and less invasive method. A study by an international team of … [Read more...]

Cancer Survivors and Heart Disease Reported January 08, 2010 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Pediatric cancer survivors are at higher risk for high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol, all precursors to heart disease. In a new study, researchers looked at data from the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study -- which involved over 8,000 cancer survivors and nearly 3,000 of their … [Read more...]

Cholesterol Levels Linked to Cancer Reported August 26, 2008 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- The risk of cancer in diabetics may be connected to cholesterol levels. Researchers from Hong Kong looked at 6,107 Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes. They found LDL cholesterol levels below 2.80 mmol/L and at levels of at least 3.90 mmol/L were both associated with a much higher risk of … [Read more...]

Cold Weather Bad for Blood Pressure Reported January 16, 2009 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Chilly weather may give you more than just the shivers. New research suggests it may be responsible for increased blood pressure in a certain demographic. Outdoor temperate and blood pressure appear to be correlated in the elderly, according to a new study from the Institut National de la … [Read more...]

Doctors Urge Withdrawal of Bextra, a Drug Similar to Vioxx Reported December 27, 2004 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- A group of doctors want the medication valdecoxib (Bextra) removed from the market, except for extraordinary circumstances, because it increases the risk of stroke and heart attack. They pose their concern in a … [Read more...]

Low Socioeconomic Status not Linked With Risk of Heart Disease Reported July 22, 2005 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Wealth does not necessarily equate good health, according to researchers from the United Kingdom. The results of this study question the common view that children with difficult socioeconomic conditions have an increased risk of heart disease later in life. … [Read more...]

Fat Cell Protein Boosts Heart Attack Risk in Elderly Reported August 08, 2008 FRIDAY, Aug. 8 (HealthDay News) -- A protein produced by fat cells may play a pivotal role in increasing an older American's risk for a heart attack even if they are losing weight, a new report says. Levels of adiponectin increase in the bloodstream when people lose weight and appear to endanger … [Read more...]

Freezing Heart MurmursReported February 20, 2008 LOS ANGELES, Calif. (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- More than two million people live with heart arrhythmias, or an irregular heart beat. It can leave people exhausted and cause strokes and even heart attacks. Now, a new procedure is using extreme cold to freeze hearts back into rhythm. For the past decade, Peter Nyquist’s heart beat … [Read more...]

Get Aggressive to Beat SmokingReported April 09, 2009 (Ivanhoe Newswire) – Doctors who really want to help their patients kick the habit need to get aggressive. That’s the take home message from two studies on smoking cessation. The first involved 750 people who smoked at least 10 cigarettes a day. Researchers randomized the smokers to three groups: one … [Read more...]

Heart attack deaths not higher for womenReported May 20, 2008 BONN, Germany, April 24 (UPI) -- The risk of dying in Germany of a myocardial infarction -- heart attack -- is not higher for women than for men, a study found. Dr. Gunther Heller says the study findings contradict and disprove the hypothesis that a … [Read more...]

Heart Attack Treatment Favors Men Reported December 12, 2008 ORLANDO, Fla. (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Although heart attack kills an equal number of men and women in the hospital, new research shows women are twice as likely to die if hospitalized for severe heart attack. After researchers analyzed data from the American Heart Association’s Get With the Guidelines program, they … [Read more...]

Cardiac Pumps for End-Stage Heart Failure Reported November 15, 2005  By Heather Kohn, Ivanhoe Health Correspondent DALLAS (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- New research shows heart pumps can significantly extend the lives of end-stage heart failure patients who are not candidates for heart transplants. Investigators from Duke University School of Medicine in Durham, N.C., set out to … [Read more...]

Heart Screenings for DiabeticsReported April 15, 2009 (Ivanhoe Newswire) – New research shows screening diabetic patients for coronary arterial disease (CAD) does not reduce the rate of coronary events. Nearly 200 million people worldwide have type 2 diabetes, putting them at increased risk for CAD, which can lead to a heart attack or sudden cardiac death. … [Read more...]

Hormone Therapy for Prostate Cancer Patients With Heart Disease May Increase Mortality   Reported August 28, 2009 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Men with congestive heart failure or heart attack who receive both hormone therapy and radiation therapy for treatment of prostate cancer have an increased risk of death, according to a new study. Patients … [Read more...]

Impact of SmokingReported May 15, 2009 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Results from a large study show what many of us already know: smoking is bad for your health. However, researchers say the new data show the "tremendous" impact cigarettes have in promoting a variety of diseases and death. Investigators from the University of Oslo and Norwegian Institute of Public … [Read more...]