Cardiovascular System

Overweight, Obesity Increase Risk of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

September 29, 2015 Meta-analysis of 58 studies shows increased risk of carpal tunnel syndrome or carpal tunnel release MONDAY, Sept. 28, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Overweight and obesity are associated with increased risk of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), according to a meta-analysis published online Sept. 23 in Obesity Reviews. Rahman Shiri, M.D, Ph.D., M.P.H., from […]

Second Trial of Chelation Therapy Wins Early Support

09.28.2015 NIH will help finance second study by Larry Husten CardioBrief The National Institutes of Health is giving money to support the planning of a second trial to test the potential role of chelation therapy in treating patients with myocardial infarction. The first Trial to Assess Chelation Therapy (TACT) was extremely controversial. It was funded […]

No link between coffee consumption, common type of irregular heartbeat

Date: September 22, 2015 Source: BioMed Central Summary: There is no association between coffee consumption and an increased risk of atrial fibrillation, according to research. The research includes a meta-analysis of four other studies, making it the largest study its kind, involving nearly 250,000 individuals over the course of 12 years. There is no association […]

Lawsuit claims massage caused serious injury – Video

A Dallas woman claims a deep tissue massage led to a debilitating injury. Video and Story Source

Weight Loss Boosts Fertility in Overweight Women With PCOS

09.25.2015 by Jeff Minerd Contributing Writer, MedPage Today Losing weight improved ovulation rates in overweight and obese women with infertility due to polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), according to a clinical trial published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. Weight loss was also associated with a trend toward more live births, reported lead investigator […]

Egg consumption and risk of heart failure, myocardial infarction, and stroke

Egg consumption and risk of heart failure, myocardial infarction, and stroke: results from 2 prospective cohorts American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 09/24/2015 Larsson SC, et al. – The aim of this study was to examine whether egg consumption is associated with incidence of HF, myocardial infarction (MI), or stroke types. Daily egg consumption was not […]

Review Links Obesity to Increased Thyroid Cancer Risk

Positive link to papillary, follicular, anaplastic thyroid cancer; inverse link for medullary thyroid cancer WEDNESDAY, Sept. 23, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Obesity is associated with increased risk of thyroid cancer, according to a review published online Sept. 14 inObesity Reviews. Daniela Schmid, Ph.D., from the University of Regensburg in Germany, and colleagues performed a meta-analysis […]

Delayed Orthostatic Hypotension ‘Not Benign’

Pauline Anderson September 23, 2015 Orthostatic hypotension (OH) that develops more than 3 minutes after standing progresses to OH in more than half of patients and carries a similar poor prognosis, including a high mortality rate, a 10-year follow-up study suggests. “OH itself, whether delayed or not, is not a benign condition,” said lead author […]

Carotid Occlusion ‘Not a Ticking Time Bomb’

Sue Hughes September 22, 2015 New evidence suggesting that carotid occlusion is not actually associated with a high risk for stroke — with the inference that many carotid stenting or endarterectomy procedures for asymptomatic patients therefore may do more harm than good — has come from a new study. “Carotid occlusion is not the catastrophe […]

Study Questions Usual Wisdom on Trans Fats

09.22.2015 CardioBrief: Study Questions Usual Wisdom on Trans Fats Could a little trans fat found naturally in meat and dairy actually be protective? by Larry Husten CardioBrief Amid the stormy debate over dietary recommendations regarding saturated fats and carbohydrates, there’s been one area of calm and consensus. Nearly everyone seems to have agreed that trans […]

Tai Chi Improves BP Control, Quality of Life in Older Adults

But does not help with metabolic syndrome levels, dyslipidemia, hyperglycemia WEDNESDAY, Sept. 16, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Tai chi is effective in managing several hypertension-related risk factors in older adults, according to a study published in the October issue of The American Journal of Cardiology. Jing Sun, Ph.D., and Nicholas Buys, Ph.D., from Griffith University […]

USPSTF Backs Aspirin for CVD, Colon Cancer Prevention

09.14.2015 by Crystal Phend Senior Staff Writer, MedPage Today Low-dose aspirin was recommended for primary prevention of both cardiovascular disease and colorectal cancer for 50- to 59-year-olds by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF). The draft recommendation applied to only people at 10% or greater 10-year cardiovascular disease risk who aren’t at increased risk […]

HbA1C Has Modest Impact on CVD Risk

09.08.2015 Stroke Rounds: HbA1C Has Modest Impact on CVD Risk Adding hemoglobin A1C (HbA1c) to conventional cardiovascular risk assessment had only a modest effect on post-test, 10-year atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk, researchers reported. Using data from the 2010-2011 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES), Mark J. Pletcher, MD, MPH, of the University of […]

Fat Mass Index, Not Body Mass Index, Tied to Foot Pain

09.08.2015 Study suggests adipose tissue is associated with the presence and development of foot pain An increase in fat mass index (FMI), but not body mass index (BMI), was associated with both prevalent and future foot pain, a large community-based study showed. Among a subset of participants, ages 50 and up, from the North West […]

It is time to stop counting calories, and time instead to promote dietary changes that substantially and rapidly reduce cardiovascular morbidity and mortality

Open Heart 2015;2: doi:10.1136/openhrt-2015-000273 Editorial It is time to stop counting calories, and time instead to promote dietary changes that substantially and rapidly reduce cardiovascular morbidity and mortality Aseem Malhotra1, James J DiNicolantonio3and Simon Capewell Most heart attacks and ischaemic strokes are caused by complicated atheroma usually compounded by thrombosis suddenly reducing blood flow in […]

Nine Risk Factors May Explain Two Thirds of AD Cases

Megan Brooks September 01, 2015 Nine potentially modifiable risk factors may explain two thirds of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) cases globally, according to a comprehensive meta-analysis of published studies. Risk factors include obesity, carotid artery narrowing, low educational achievement, hyperhomocysteine, depression, hypertension, frailty, current smoking, and type 2 diabetes (diabetes only in Asian populations). According to […]

Could Trimming Waistlines Delay Alzheimer’s?

09.02.2015 by Jeff Minerd Contributing Writer, MedPage Today Being obese or overweight at age 50 was associated with earlier onset of Alzheimer’s disease, according to a large prospective study from the National Institute on Aging (NIA). Excess weight at middle age was also associated with more neurofibrillary tangles and amyloid deposits in the brain, two […]

Glutamine and Fish Oil Improve Body Composition and Life Quality in HF Patients

August 31, 2015 Circulation: Heart Failure TAKE-HOME MESSAGE This double-blind trial randomized 31 heart failure (HF) patients to receive either L-alanyl-L-glutamine (8 g/d) and ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA; 6.5 g/d) or placebo for 3 months to examine the effects of PUFA and glutamine supplementation on exercise performance and muscle protein balance. No significant differences […]

Periodontal Disease Predicts CAC Progression in Type 1 Diabetes

No link with coronary artery calcium progression for individuals without diabetes MONDAY, Aug. 31, 2015 (HealthDay News) — In patients with type 1 diabetes, but not those without diabetes, periodontal disease duration is an independent predictor of long-term progression of coronary artery calcium (CAC), according to a study published in the Sept. 15 issue of […]

Knee and Hip Replacements May Be Bad for the Heart

Date: August 31, 2015 Source: Wiley Summary: Contrary to recent reports, researchers found that osteoarthritis patients who had total knee or hip joint replacement surgery, known as arthroplasty, were at increased risk of heart attack (myocardial infarction) in the early post-operative period. However, findings indicate that long-term risk of heart attack did not persist, while […]