Cardiovascular Health

Losing sleep can have negative consequences for your heart health. Researchers who examined what happened when they kept 32 study participants from getting enough sleep report the deprivation seemed to cause a decrease in heart rate variability, which previous studies have associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. "If our finding is sustained by a larger … [Read more...]

Study: Chronic worrying increases your odds of a heart attackReported January 07, 2008 WASHINGTON - Those Type A go-getters aren't the only ones stressing their hearts. Nervous Nelsons seem to be, too. Researchers reported Monday that chronic anxiety can significantly increase the risk of a heart attack, at least in men. The findings add another trait to a growing list of … [Read more...]

Measure Your Waist to Save Your Life Reported November 18, 2008 ORLANDO, Fla. (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Having a normal body mass index (BMI) doesn’t necessarily mean you’re free of dangerous body fat. New research shows weight around your waist that may escape a BMI test could be deadly. Results of a recent study involving more than 350,000 people across Europe shows having a … [Read more...]

End-stage heart failure patients who must wait for a heart transplant fight the battle against time each day that goes by. But hope may be on the horizon. A new study reveals the use of a continuous-flow left ventricular assist device (LVAD) can provide effective support in a much more convenient way. The new continuous-flow device is a drastic improvement from its … [Read more...]

Psoriasis and Obesity Reported December 16, 2008 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Patients with psoriasis may have higher levels of an obesity-related hormone. Psoriasis is an autoimmune disease that results in a red, scaly rash. Associations have been made between psoriasis and obesity, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus and metabolic syndrome. A new study done … [Read more...]

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...]

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...]

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...]