Obesity in one’s 20s can have harmful effects on the heart later in life, new data shows. A recent study has found that among young people, being overweight is significantly linked to abnormal heart size 20 years later, which can cause serious health problems. Being overweight, especially from a young age, appears to lead to… [Continue Reading]
Volunteering Good for the Health of Adolescents
February 27, 2013 By Leave a Comment
Contributing to your community through volunteer activities brings health benefits, a new study reports. Researchers examined a group of adolescents, and marked a number of improvements in both mental and physical health for those volunteering. Giving back through volunteering is good for your heart, even at a young age, according to University of British Columbia… [Continue Reading]
Harm from Elevated Blood Pressure Late in Pregnancy May Have Evolutionary Origins
February 26, 2013 By Leave a Comment
The effect of maternal blood pressure on a developing fetus changes during pregnancy: elevated blood pressure in early pregnancy is actually beneficial for the fetus. Later in the pregnancy, however, it can be harmful. Researchers are suggesting that this changing interaction may have evolutionary origins, and may balance the physiological needs of mother and child…. [Continue Reading]
Attracting Stem Cells to the Heart After Heart Failure Improves Cardiac Function
February 22, 2013 By Leave a Comment
Activating a patient’s own stem cells with gene therapy is effective to treat heart failure, a new study has found. Researchers have shown that the treatment improves patients’ symptoms and heart function. In the first human study of its kind, researchers activated heart failure patients’ stem cells with gene therapy to improve their symptoms, heart… [Continue Reading]
Stem Cells Derived From Fat More Effective to Repair Heart in Animal Models
February 14, 2013 By Leave a Comment
As researchers develop ways to use stem cells to treat different diseases, determining the best protocols is essential. A new study compared heart function in rats treated with stem cells derived from either fat or bone marrow, and has found that fat-derived cells more effectively treat heart disease. When a research team from Denmark and… [Continue Reading]
Soaking Up Extra Calcium Combats Diastolic Heart Failure
February 11, 2013 By Leave a Comment
Calcium plays a key role in the heart’s ability to contract and relax. Researchers have found that modifying the levels of calcium in the heart, using an engineered protein, may be able to improve heart function in models of diastolic heart failure. Researchers at the University of Minnesota’s Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology and… [Continue Reading]
Sleep Apnea Linked to Cardiac Dysfunction in Women
February 11, 2013 By Leave a Comment
Obstructive sleep apnea is characterized by abnormal pauses in the breath during sleep, and is increasing with the rate of obesity. Many women who suffer from both sleep apnea and cardiac symptoms show a significant rate of abnormal heart rhythms, a new study has found. In a study to be presented on February 15 between… [Continue Reading]
Selenium Not Effective In Preventing Heart Disease in Healthy Adults
February 1, 2013 By Leave a Comment
While selenium has been marketed as a supplement to prevent cardiovascular disease, a new review has found that there is no evidence it works. The study of over 12,000 individuals found no difference in the rate of heart disease in people taking the mineral. A systematic review published today in The Cochrane Library finds that… [Continue Reading]
SSRI Anti-depressants Linked to Heart Rhythm Issues
January 29, 2013 By Leave a Comment
Anti-depressant drugs of the SSRI class have been linked to heart abnormalities, a new study has found. The researchers who performed the study suggest that although the benefits of treatment may still outweigh the risks for most patients, patients and their doctors need to be aware of these side effects. Some antidepressants, known as selective… [Continue Reading]
Sugar Consumption Increases Risk of Heart Disease: Mechanisms Identified in Animal Model
January 17, 2013 By Leave a Comment
A diet high in sugar (sucrose) is linked to a higher risk of heart disease, and new research has discovered the mechanisms behind this. Scientists using fruit flies as a genetic model have shown the molecular pathway that leads from sugar metabolism to poor heart function, suggesting ways the disease could be prevented in humans…. [Continue Reading]