Cardiovascular Health

Scientists Unlock Secrets of Red Wine's Health Benefits Reported June 12, 2009 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- For nearly 200 years, red wine has been touted for its unmatched health benefits. It's been shown to do everything from preventing cancer to protecting the heart and brain from damage to preventing age-related disorders such as diabetes and inflammation. Now, researchers … [Read more...]

Size Matters -- Obesity Leading Risk Factor for Heart Condition Reported November 12, 2009 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Aside from aging itself, obesity appears to be the most powerful predictor of left atrial enlargement (LAE), significantly increasing one's risk of atrial fibrillation, stroke and death. Researchers in Lubeck, Germany, found obesity and … [Read more...]

Statins can Damage Muscles   Reported July 10, 2009 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Because of their importance in reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, statins are one of the most widely prescribed medications in the world. One well-known side effect of taking statins is muscle weakness and pain. Researchers are now finding that structural muscle … [Read more...]

Study: Radiation Increases Risk of Stroke Reported June 22, 2009 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Patients treated for Hodgkin lymphoma with radiation therapy have a substantially higher risk of stroke, according to a new study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. Radiation to the neck and mediastinum was associated with increased risk, … [Read more...]

Toddlers, Obese Children More Vulnerable to Smoke Reported November 30, 2009 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Toddlers and obese children suffer more than just respiratory problems when exposed to secondhand smoke. New American Heart Association research suggests in toddlers and obese children, secondhand smoke can cause changes similar to those associated with … [Read more...]

Vitamin D Deficiency Predicts Hypertension   Reported September 25, 2009 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Vitamin D deficiency in premenopausal women may increase the risk of developing systolic hypertension 15 years later, according to a new study. Researchers examined women enrolled in the Michigan Bone Health and Metabolism Study and analyzed data from 559 … [Read more...]

People with skinny thighs may die early: Study Reported September 05, 2009 Chicago, September 5: People with skinny thighs are at an increased risk of premature death and cardiovascular disease, a new Danish study has showed. Most of the women in the world desire to have model-like long and skinny legs to look hot and curvy. But, the new study warns that people with … [Read more...]

Herceptin Combinations Improve Survival, Lessen Heart ToxicityReported December 23, 2009 Two studies presented in December at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium offer hope of enhancing both the effectiveness and safety of Herceptin (trastuzumab), the drug that helped introduce the era of targeted therapy a decade ago. One experimental combination is Herceptin and … [Read more...]

Why Exercise is Good for Your HeartReported October 23, 2007 (Ivanhoe Newswire) Oct. 23, 2007 -- New research lays out the science behind the effect exercise has on a person’s cardiovascular risk. Researchers from Harvard analyzed several risk factors and levels of exercise for more than 27,000 women who had a new diagnosis of heart attack and stroke. Women in the study … [Read more...]

Prostate Cancer Therapy Boosts Risk of Fractures, Heart DiseaseReported April 28, 2009 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Prostate cancer patients who take drugs to decrease their testosterone levels may be increasing their risk of developing bone- and heart-related side effects, but those risks are still relatively low, according to a new study. Doctors say androgen … [Read more...]

Amazing Heart Pictures December 8, 2004 PORT RICHEY, Fla. (Ivanhoe Broadcast News) -- Heart disease is the number one killer in the United States. Many people don't find out they have heart disease until it's very advanced. But new technology allows doctors to see in the heart like never before.Rodney Rea, D.O., no longer comes to the office as … [Read more...]

Better management improves survival rates of heart attack victims Reported January 29, 2009 Sydney (IANS): Better management practices have improved survival rates of heart attack victims, according to a study based on nearly 4,500 such cases. Researchers followed the outcomes for 12 years of 4,451 patients hospitalised during 1984-87, … [Read more...]

Birth Control for Brain Injuries?Reported May 02, 2008 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- A common ingredient in birth control pills may do more than prevent pregnancy … it could also help prevent brain damage after a head injury. Traumatic brain injuries are a major cause of death and disability. Preventing brain cell death after an injury is crucial to survival and recovery. Several … [Read more...]

BP Test: Home vs. Doc’s Office Reported December 04, 2008 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- A high blood pressure reading at the doctor’s office may not be as predictive of heart risks as a high blood pressure reading at home. About 10 to 30 percent of people with high blood pressure have a condition known as resistant hypertension. For these patients blood pressure remains high … [Read more...]

Estrogen can benefit heart health for some menopausal women: studyJune 20, 2007 TORONTO (CP) - Researchers have added a new wrinkle to the debate over the safety of hormone replacement therapy with a finding that taking estrogen alone may benefit heart health for a certain group of menopausal women. In a new study, a followup to the massive … [Read more...]

Cholesterol-Lowering Drugs Harm Muscles? Reported September 30, 2008 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Taking higher doses of the cholesterol-lowering drugs called statins may cause dangerous side effects. New research from the University of Alabama at Birmingham finds high doses of statins may hinder how the skeletal muscles repair and regenerate themselves. Statins have been known to … [Read more...]

Combined Testing Better at Detecting Heart Risks Reported November 06, 2009 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Doctors may be dismissing chest-pain patients prematurely. Experts say physicians relying on simply one test to assess heart health may be missing vital diagnostic information. Experts suggest adding coronary artery calcium score (CACS) testing to … [Read more...]

Cyclists' hearts can be 40% bigger than normalReported September 03, 2007 VIENNA, Austria — Riding the grueling Tour de France bike race takes strength, stamina — and perhaps a heart nearly 40 percent bigger than normal. Researchers who examined the hearts of former Tour bikers found that the athletes' hearts were from 20 to 40 percent larger than average, said Dr. Francois … [Read more...]

Diabetics, Older Patients Benefit From Heart BypassReported March 24, 2009 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- It may be a more invasive surgery, but new research shows heart bypass surgery leads to longer lives than angioplasty for specific groups of patients. A new study involving nearly 8,000 patients from 10 clinical trials around the world shows heart patients who … [Read more...]

Does Weight Loss Drug Slow Heart Disease?Reported April 08, 2008 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- A fatty mid-section can be a red flag for metabolic syndrome -- a group of metabolic risk factors that puts a person at increased risk for coronary heart disease and plaque build-up in artery walls. Abdominal obesity amplifies the risk for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease -- the … [Read more...]

Effects of Glucose Control Last Years Reported October 13, 2008 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Diabetes patients treated with drugs may be less at risk for some major complications of their disease even after therapy is discontinued, new research shows. Researchers followed up on the large-scale United Kingdom Prospective Diabetes Study (UKPDS) by selecting patients and following … [Read more...]

Faulty Batteries in Defibrillators Reported January 21, 2005 (Ivanhoe Newswire) --The medical device maker Medtronic, Inc., has begun warning physicians about faulty batteries in a line of its implantable defibrillators.Batteries in the Marquis line of implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) made before … [Read more...]

Fruit Juices Hamper Drugs’ Benefits Reported August 20, 2008 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Washing down your medicine with fruit juice may be a bad idea. You may have heard that grapefruit juice can increase the absorption of certain drugs and potentially turn normal doses into toxic ones. Now, the scientist who first identified this problem finds grapefruit and other common fruit … [Read more...]

Get Moving to Kick the HabitReported April 08, 2008 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- If you’re trying to quit smoking, you might want to get moving. A new study finds physically active smokers are more likely to succeed at kicking the habit. The study included 23,000 Canadian smokers. Researchers say physically active men were 36 percent more likely to have tried to quit smoking in … [Read more...]

Heart Attack Warning for Pregnant Women Reported July 11, 2008 (Ivanhoe Newswire) Young pregnant women having heart attacks may be rare but it’s not impossible, especially for those already in high-risk categories. Just being pregnant can triple or quadruple the risk. “It’s extremely important that physicians who take care of women during pregnancy and after delivery be … [Read more...]

Age is a Risk in Heart Surgery Reported November 24, 2005 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- As the number of people older than 80 increases, a new study shows the importance of considering age before undergoing heart surgery. The study reported in this month's Archives of Surgery indicates age alone is a risk factor for increased mortality and morbidity when taking into … [Read more...]

Uncontrolled High Blood Pressure is a High-Risk Condition Reported December 5, 2005 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Uncontrolled hypertension, or blood pressure, puts people at higher risk for sharper drops in short-term memory loss and verbal ability, according to a recent study. Researchers at the Veterans Affairs (VA) Boston Healthcare System, Harvard Medical School and the … [Read more...]

My Heart's in Bogalusa Reported October 24, 2005 NEW ORLEANS (Ivanhoe Broadcast News) -- Heart disease is a leading killer of Americans, but it isn't something just adults need to worry about. Extensive research shows just how damaging our overeating and sedentary lifestyles are to kids. The paper mill town of Bogalusa is the home and heart of 13,000 Louisianans. It's … [Read more...]

Irregular Heart Beat: Support for Controversial Theory Reported June 19, 2009 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Atrial fibrillation, the most common form of human heart beat irregularity, can be fatal if left untreated. Some clinicians believe it is caused, in part, by calcium leaking from a cellular store in heart cells, potentially through the RyR2 channel, … [Read more...]