Cardiovascular Health News

Eating more fruits and vegetables may reduce the risk of stroke worldwide, according to new research in the American Heart Association's journal Stroke. Researchers conducted a meta-analysis of 20 studies published over the last 19 years to assess the effects of fruit and vegetable consumption on risk of stroke globally. The combined studies involved 760,629 men and women … [Read more...]

The saying, "we are what we eat," has never been more true. Nutritionists increasingly emphasize that the nutrients in the foods we consume can potentially create health and reduce disease. Moul Dey, associate professor of health and nutritional sciences at South Dakota State University, would agree. Her research focuses on using wheat fiber to lower cholesterol and prevent … [Read more...]

Scientists developed a supplement to maintain optimal health that contributes to the growth and development of children and adolescents. It also prevents osteoporosis and certain cancers such as breast and prostate. Prosoma is a protein supplement made from soy and amaranth, which contributes to lowering cholesterol and preventing osteoporosis, is inexpensive and was created … [Read more...]

Heart function in morbidly obese patients returns to normal after bariatric surgery but not after lifestyle intervention, reveals research published today in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology. The results suggest that bariatric surgery may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease in morbidly obese patients. "Obesity is a global problem that is closely linked to … [Read more...]

Stroke survivors should control their blood pressure, cholesterol and weight and do moderate physical activity regularly to avoid having another stroke, according to an American Heart Association/American Stroke Association scientific statement. They should also receive other evidence-based therapy specific to their individual health, which may include aspirin therapy or a … [Read more...]

Researchers have discovered the fundamental biology of calcium waves in relation to heart arrhythmias. The findings published this month in the January 19 edition of Nature Medicine outlines the discovery of this fundamental physiological process that researchers hope will one day help design molecularly tailored medications that correct the pathophysiology. Heart … [Read more...]

Overweight and obesity throughout adulthood, and especially elevated weight in early adulthood, were associated with increased risk of sudden cardiac death in a 32-year study of more than 72,000 women published today in JACC: Clinical Electrophysiology. "We found that it is important to maintain a healthy weight throughout adulthood as a way to minimize the risk of sudden … [Read more...]

Adding seaweed to processed foods such as frozen pizzas, hot dogs and dried pasta will reduce cardiovascular diseases, concludes a new scientific article. One suggestion is to replace 5% of the flour in pizza dough with dried and granulated seaweed. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) cardiovascular diseases are the number one cause of premature death … [Read more...]

New hope in the fight against cardiovascular disease has arrived, following breakthrough research identifying a pigment in our bile which could protect us. A fluid produced by the liver and stored in the gallbladder, bile's function is to aid the digestion process. Now Dr Andrew Bulmer from Griffith University's Menzies Health Institute Queensland (MHIQ) has found that … [Read more...]

Endurance exercise accelerates the development of heart problems in individuals with a particular genetic mutation, a new study in American Journal of Physiology -- Heart and Circulatory Physiology reports. Arrhythmogenic ventricular cardiomyopathy (AVC) is the most common heart condition that causes sudden cardiac death during intense exercise. The study found that in mice … [Read more...]

Adding seaweed to processed foods such as frozen pizzas, hot dogs and dried pasta will reduce cardiovascular diseases, concludes a new scientific article. One suggestion is to replace 5% of the flour in pizza dough with dried and granulated seaweed. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) cardiovascular diseases are the number one cause of premature death globally. … [Read more...]

The 15% fall in dietary salt intake over the past decade in England is likely to have had a key role in the 40% drop in deaths from heart disease and stroke over the same period, concludes research published in the online journal BMJ Open. But average intake across the nation is still far too high, warn the authors. And much greater effort is needed to curb the salt content … [Read more...]

Doctors in Mexico have shown the benefits of a healthy diet and exercise in patients with heart failure, in research presented at the Mexican Congress of Cardiology 2015. The annual congress of the Mexican Society of Cardiology is being held in Acapulco from 21 to 25 November 2015. Experts from the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) will present a special … [Read more...]

In a large prospective community-based study of older Americans, modest physical activity was associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). This was true even among men and women older than age 75 at baseline -- a rapidly growing population for whom regular activity has been advised, but with little supportive empirical evidence. Led by senior author, Dariush … [Read more...]

Although supervised aerobic physical activity is a proven therapy for heart failure patients, lack of social support and practical barriers such as lack of transportation, keep many patients from benefitting from cardiac rehab programs, according to new research in Circulation: Heart Failure, an American Heart Association journal. "Patients, family members, and healthcare … [Read more...]

Researchers from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health have found a link between higher levels of a specific kind of air pollution in major urban areas and an increase in cardiovascular-related hospitalizations such as for heart attacks in people 65 and older. The findings, published in the November issue of Environmental Health Perspectives, are the strongest … [Read more...]

University of Cincinnati (UC) researchers have discovered the negative impact a high fat diet has on red blood cells and how these cells, in turn, promote the development of cardiovascular disease. This is one of the first studies to demonstrate the effect of red blood cells on the disease and could also affect the way patients with other health conditions, like cancer, who … [Read more...]

It's no secret that a high-fat, high-cholesterol "junk food" diet has been linked to major health problems, including high blood cholesterol and the buildup of plaques in the arteries, known as atherosclerosis. Research led by the University of Michigan Life Sciences Institute has identified a pathway in the liver, controlled by a protein known as BAF60a, that contributes to … [Read more...]

A new cholesterol-lowering vaccine leads to reductions in 'bad' LDL cholesterol in mice and macaques, according to research published in Vaccine. The authors of the study, from the University of New Mexico and the National Institutes of health in the United States, say the vaccine has the potential to be a more powerful treatment than statins alone. The body produces … [Read more...]

Drinking one 16-ounce energy drink boosts blood pressure and stress hormone responses in young, healthy adults, according to a study presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2015. These changes could conceivably trigger new cardiovascular events. Researchers studied 25 healthy young adults with no known cardiovascular risk factors. Each drank one … [Read more...]

For the first time, research shows that a type 2 diabetes drug significantly reduces hospitalizations and death from heart failure. The findings, from a large clinical trial known as EMPA-REG OUTCOME, were presented by Yale professor of medicine and clinical chief of endocrinology, Dr. Silvio E. Inzucchi, at the 2015 American Heart Association (AHA) Scientific Session in … [Read more...]

A group of researchers led by Mayo Clinic has discovered that disclosing genetic risk for coronary heart disease (CHD) results in lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL), also known as bad cholesterol. The findings of the Myocardial Infarction Genes (MI-GENES) Study were presented today at the annual American Heart Association Scientific Sessions 2015 as a late-breaking … [Read more...]

A lack of vitamin D can result in weak bones. Recent studies also show that vitamin D deficiency is linked to more serious health risks such as coronary artery disease, heart attacks, and strokes. And now, a new study shows what level of deficiency puts someone at risk of developing these heart problems. Researchers at the Intermountain Medical Center Heart Institute in Salt … [Read more...]

A diet developed for reducing cholesterol also lowers blood pressure, a St. Michael's Hospital study has found. The research, published today in Nutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Disease, was a secondary analysis of data collected for a 2011 study on the effect of the 'portfolio diet' on cholesterol. The portfolio diet lowered blood pressure by an average two per … [Read more...]

Even though heart disease and stroke are the No. 1 killer of women in the U.S., most women say they don't have a personal connection to cardiovascular disease, according to research presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2015. A 2014 nationally representative survey of 1,011 adult women found that those who know another woman with heart disease are … [Read more...]

People who moved from a neighborhood that required a vehicle to run errands to one that made walking-errands convenient were significantly less likely to have high blood pressure than people who moved from one low-walkability neighborhood to another low-walkability neighborhood, according to research presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2015. To … [Read more...]

Riding the bus or train to work is associated with a lower risk of high blood pressure, diabetes, and being overweight, according to research presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2015. While it's already established that a physically active lifestyle helps reduce the likelihood of diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity, it is unclear whether … [Read more...]

In a study that included more than 20,000 adults in China with high blood pressure but without a history of stroke or heart attack, the combined use of the hypertension medication enalapril and folic acid, compared with enalapril alone, significantly reduced the risk of first stroke, according to a study appearing in JAMA. The study is being released to coincide with its … [Read more...]

Past studies have shown an association between strict control of blood sugar and increased mortality. These studies have also suggested that a consequence of this strict control is low blood sugar (called hypoglycemia), which may have adverse effects on the heart. In a new study, published by the journal Diabetes, researchers examined the effects of hypoglycemia on … [Read more...]

Taking vitamin D supplements can improve exercise performance and lower the risk of heart disease, according to the findings of a preliminary study presented today at the Society for Endocrinology annual conference in Edinburgh. Vitamin D, which is both a vitamin and a hormone, helps control levels of calcium and phosphate in the blood and is essential for the formation of … [Read more...]