Cardiovascular Health News

Calcium Build-up a Problem for all RacesReported March 31, 2008 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- It is widely known that calcium build-up in the coronary arteries is a good predictor of heart disease in white patients, but researchers now say it is also a strong risk factor for several racial and ethnic groups. For a median of 3.8 years, researchers followed a sample of 6,722 men … [Read more...]

Cholesterol Control in Ethnic GroupsReported November 16, 2004 (Ivanhoe Newswire)--According to new research, American ethnic groups are less likely to have their “bad” cholesterol controlled to recommended levels than their white counterparts.Among people with high cholesterol, Latinos were 36-percent less likely than non-Hispanic whites to have properly … [Read more...]

Clot-Busting Drug may Help Diagnose Leg Clots Reported February 18, 2005 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Clot-dissolving drugs, such as tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), used to treat heart attacks and strokes, may also improve the accuracy of a test used to help … [Read more...]

Controlling Your Anger Could Save Your Life Reported February 26, 2009 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Have you ever been so angry that you felt like your heart may burst? Your body may have been sending you a warning sign. New research finds that electrical changes in the heart brought on by anger can predict future arrhythmias and it may link mental stress to sudden cardiac … [Read more...]

Detecting Lung DiseaseReported February 11, 2008 SAVANNAH, Ga. (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- This year alone, 200,000 new cases of lung cancer will be diagnosed in the United States. That used to mean a painful, invasive procedure. Now, there’s a new technique that can provide important answers, sometimes within minutes. For Will Kirkland, cooking meals for seniors and the homeless … [Read more...]

Study: Postmenopausal hormones via gel, patch less risky for heart Reported October 01, 2008 A study of hormone use in nearly 700,000 Danish women over 50 suggests that when it comes to heart attack risk, patches or gels are safer than the combination pills most American women use. The authors say this is the largest postmenopausal hormones study … [Read more...]

Exercise to Reduce Risk of Stroke Reported November 24, 2009 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Jogging, playing tennis or swimming may be the key to preventing stroke in men. A new study suggests men who regularly exercise at a level that is moderate-to-heavy intensity may be less likely to suffer stroke than men who are not active. The study examined 3,298 … [Read more...]

Curcumin May Prevent Clogged Arteries Reported July 20, 2009 July 20, 2009 -- The compound that gives curry spice powder its yellowish color may protect arteries from fatty buildup, new research in mice shows. Curcumin, the main ingredient in the curry spice turmeric, is a naturally occurring antioxidant known as a polyphenol. Polyphenols are found in plants that have … [Read more...]

Genetic Link to Heart Failure Reported December 21, 2009 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- A team of researchers, at Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, has identified a group of 12 genetic variants in the HSPB7 gene that are associated with heart failure in humans. The team, led by Gerald Dorn, used an approach that allows ultra-high-throughput targeted DNA sequencing … [Read more...]

Good Health in Childhood Pays Off Reported February 25, 2005 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Children who have healthy blood sugar levels, blood pressure, weight and cholesterol are likely to become heart-healthy adults, say Tulane researchers in New Orleans. Previous research shows when risk factors for metabolic syndrome and … [Read more...]

Heart Disease Markers Linked to Sleep in Women   Reported July 02, 2009 (Ivanhoe Newswire) – Women who get less sleep are more likely to have higher levels of biomarkers linked to heart disease. According to British researchers who followed more than 4,600 people in their mid-30s, women who reported sleeping seven hours a night had higher levels of … [Read more...]

Heed 'Warning Stroke' Symptoms   Reported October 01, 2009 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- One out of every eight strokes is preceded by a "warning stroke" -- a transient ischemic attack (TIA) or mild stroke, according to a new study. During a TIA, stroke symptoms last for less than 24 hours and then resolve. People should not ignore these symptoms, but … [Read more...]

Higher Stroke Risk for African Americans Reported October 07, 2008 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Dangerous brain lesions that increase the likelihood of having a stroke may be more common in blacks. In a recent study, researchers found cerebral microbleeds -- small bleeds within the brain -- can be important indicators for stroke. In a recent study, researchers found these lesions … [Read more...]

Inactivity Starts in Preschool Reported February 10, 2009 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- A new study finds physical activity for preschoolers needs to be increased in order to promote healthy lifestyles. A team of researchers at the University of South Carolina (USC), Michigan State University and East Carolina University examined the activity levels of 3-, 4- and 5-year-olds … [Read more...]

Job Stress Ups Risk for Second Heart AttackReported October 10, 2007 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- People who have had one heart attack have good reason to chill out on the job. Stressing out over work can lead to another one. That’s the key finding from Canadian researchers who studied nearly 1,000 men and women between ages 35 and 59 who returned to work after suffering a first … [Read more...]

Kids With Heart Disease: Behavior IssuesReported April 09, 2008 ORLANDO, Fla. (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Each year in the United States, more than 10,000 newborns have congenital heart disease (CHD) severe enough to require surgery before they are one year old. Now, a new study says as these newborns grow into school-aged children, they are at a significant risk for attention … [Read more...]

Middle East moves towards 'new era' in challenge of managing cardiovascular diseasesReported December 22, 2007 'A New Era for Cardiovascular Risk Reduction,' will take place from December 5. It is organized under the patronage of H. E. Humaid Mohamed Al Qutami, Health Minister of the UAE & is being supported by an educational grant from Pfizer. Leading specialists … [Read more...]

Glass of red wine or one drink may help heart health, more may do harm: studyReported February 12, 2008 TORONTO - Red wine has been touted as beneficial for cardiovascular health, but new research suggests that while one glass of that favourite Merlot or Shiraz may indeed be heart healthy, two or more could actually do more harm than good over time. Furthermore, those … [Read more...]

More Folate Reduces Blood Pressure in Women Reported January 19, 2005 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- A new study shows women who consume more folate are less likely to develop high blood pressure. Researchers from Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston analyzed data from two large studies, which included more than … [Read more...]

New Drug Better for Ailing Hearts Reported November 23, 2006 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- A new medication might be better at treating heart patients in the emergency room than standard drugs. In a study conducted among nearly 14,000 patients in 17 countries, the anti-clotting agent bivalirudin -- known … [Read more...]

Smoking worse for women Reported September 02, 2008 "Our research clearly shows there's a gender difference between the damage tobacco does to the blood vessels in and around the heart," Dr. Morten Grundtvig, a heart specialist from Lillehammer, told newspaper Aftenposten. "Women are harmed more than men." He and professors Terje P Hagen and Åsmund … [Read more...]

Patients in ICU Need Care That’s There Reported January 05, 2010 (Ivanhoe Newswire) – When intensive care physicians (intensivists) care for ICU patients onsite, there is a lower rate of illness and death. There is an acute shortage of intensivists, however, which has led to the increased use of telemedicine to remotely monitor ICU patients. Eric J. Thomas, M.D., M.P.H., … [Read more...]

Preventing Stroke in Kids: Good and Bad NewsReported April 14, 2009 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- The good news is more children with a condition that puts them at risk for stroke are undergoing ultrasound screening. The bad news is only a limited number of labs offer this test. Researchers followed 157 children with sickle cell disease for about eight years. Sickle … [Read more...]

New Drug may Reduce Inflammation During Heart Surgery By Heather Kohn, Ivanhoe Health Correspondent Reported July 21, 2005 ORLANDO, Fla. (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- A new drug is under study that may reduce the inflammation associated with the heart-lung machine patients typically go on during heart surgery. As taking the blood out of the body and then putting it back in is a … [Read more...]

Save Your Heart With Diet and MedicationReported March 25, 2008 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Approximately seven million people worldwide die each year from high blood pressure (hypertension), a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. While you probably know losing weight can lower blood pressure, a new study says combining diet with certain medications may cut that risk … [Read more...]

Spider Cage Reported May 27, 2008 CLEVELAND (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Kids with disabilities may now be able to add "flying" to their list of activities thanks to an innovative form of therapy. The idea is to build muscle control and confidence by getting them off the ground. It looks like 12-year-old Margaret Biehl is getting ready to run off with the circus, but she's … [Read more...]

British researchers hope a new stem cell treatment will do something current treatments for heart disease can't: heal heart muscle damaged during a heart attack. The therapy will rely on stem cells taken from the patients' own bone marrow and then injected directly into the damaged heart muscle during traditional bypass surgery. "We hope that this exciting … project will … [Read more...]

Study: Drug Lowers Blood Pressure in Treatment-Resistant Patients   Reported September 15, 2009 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- A new drug, darusentan, reduces blood pressure in patients who have not reached treatment goals with three or more conventional antihypertensive drugs. Professor Michael A Weber, State University of New York, Brooklyn, and … [Read more...]

Much of the research on the potential health benefits of alcohol has been done on men, and it is still not clear exactly why moderate amounts of wine seems to be good for heart health. The Swedish research team studied 102 women under the age of 75, all of whom had survived a heart attack or heart surgery for blocked arteries. All participants were asked to record their … [Read more...]

The Stent Debate Reported January 19, 2009 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- New research suggests doctors may be implanting too many artery-opening stents. A new study says patient outcomes could improve if they used a method called fractional flow reserve (FFR) or measurements of blood flow in the vessels of the heart. The study evaluates the benefits of FFR and looks at whether … [Read more...]