Cardiovascular System

Association of Blood Pressure Lowering With Incident Dementia or Cognitive Impairment

May 19, 2020 A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis Diarmaid Hughes, MB, BEng JAMA. 2020;323(19):1934-1944. doi:10.1001/jama.2020.4249 Key Points Question Is there an association between blood pressure lowering with antihypertensive therapy and the incidence of dementia or cognitive impairment? Findings In this meta-analysis that included 12 trials with 92 135 participants for the primary outcome measure, blood […]

A Daily Dose of This Can Help Fight Chronic Conditions

by Naveed Saleh,MD May 19, 2020 When we think about sunlight and health, we usually associate exposure to the sun with negative consequences like sunburn and skin cancer. And it’s true—ultraviolet A and B radiation exposure can cause sunburn, damage to collagen fibers, vitamin A destruction in the skin, accelerated skin aging, as well as […]

Drinking sugary drinks daily may be linked to higher risk of CVD in women

ScienceDaily Top Health|May 15, 2020 Drinking one or more sugary beverages a day was associated with a nearly 20% greater likelihood of women having a cardiovascular disease compared to women who rarely or never drank sugary beverages, according to new research published today in the Journal of the American Heart Association, an open access journal […]

Lower Blood Pressure: Surprising Study

by Ronald Grisanti D.C., D.A.B.C.O., D.A.C.B.N., M.S., CFMP There is now a new natural weapon to combat against the growing population of high blood pressure sufferers. Now this new weapon is as close as your backyard. What I am talking about is good old sunlight. Blood pressure levels are commonly higher during winter months. The question you […]

Ditch the statins: 7 natural ways to lower your cholesterol levels

May 13, 2020 Naveed Saleh, MD, MS, for MDLinx Although statins are remarkably effective at lowering lipid levels, they have been mired in controversy, an imbroglio commonly referred to as the “statin wars.” Much of this controversy centers on the benefits of statins as primary prevention vs their adverse effects, most disconcertingly acute renal failure […]

Does alcohol harm or help these chronic diseases?

Naveed Saleh, MD, MS, for MDLinx|May 4, 2020 The effects of alcohol on chronic diseases can be either a blessing or a curse, depending on the amount consumed. At lower levels of intake, alcohol can be protective. At higher levels, it can be detrimental. Alcohol-specific factors also play a role, including ethanol content, drinking frequency, […]

Using cumulative load to explain how body mass index and daily walking relate to worsening knee cartilage damage over two years: The MOST study

Arthritis & Rheumatology — Voinier D, Neogi T, Stefanik JJ, et al. | May 04, 2020 This study was attempted to assess knee overloading and underloading by characterizing cumulative load as the joint impacts of BMI and daily walking, and investigate the association between cumulative load and worsening cartilage damage over 2 years. Researchers applied […]

Mediterranean Diet Increases Endothelial Function in Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

J Nutr. 2020 May 1;150(5):1151-1159. doi: 10.1093/jn/nxaa002. Oliver M Shannon Abstract Background: The endothelium plays a key role in the maintenance of vascular health and represents a potential physiological target for dietary and other lifestyle interventions designed to reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) including stroke or coronary heart disease. Objective: To conduct a […]

This simple indulgence once a day can help lower your blood pressure

Naveed Saleh, MD, MS, for MDLinx | April 30, 2020 Taking a nap could do more than just renew your energy levels and mood, according to emerging evidence. Several researchers have found that taking a siesta is not only linked to lower blood pressure levels, but also improved sleep quality and wake performance. People have […]

Daily almond consumption in cardiovascular disease prevention via LDL-C change in the US population: A cost-effectiveness analysis

BMC Public Health — Wang J, Bravatti MAL, Johnson EJ, et al. | April 28, 2020 From the US healthcare sector perspective, the cost-effectiveness of almond intake (42.5 g) in cardiovascular disease primary prevention was evaluated in this study. Researchers constructed a decision model for 42.5 g of almond per day vs no almond intake and cardiovascular […]

The effect of probiotics supplementation on blood pressure: A systemic review and meta-analysis

Lipids in Health and Disease — Qi D, et al. | April 28, 2020 This research was sought to assess the role of probiotics support therapy in blood pressure and, as a kind of convenient and economic drugs for prevention and auxiliary treatment of hypertension. A systemic review and meta-analysis were conducted to analyze the […]

The effect of probiotics supplementation on blood pressure: A systemic review and meta-analysis

Qi D Lipids in Health and Disease|April 28, 2020 This research was sought to assess the role of probiotics support therapy in blood pressure and, as a kind of convenient and economic drugs for prevention and auxiliary treatment of hypertension. A systemic review and meta-analysis were conducted to analyze the impact of probiotics consumption on […]

Investigating the Effects of Chiropractic Spinal Manipulation on EEG in Stroke Patients.

Brain Sci. 2020 Apr 27;10(5). pii: E253. doi: 10.3390/brainsci10050253. Navid MS1,2,3, Niazi IK3,4,5, Lelic D1, Nedergaard RB1,2,3, Holt K3, Amjad I3,6, Drewes AM1,2, Haavik H3. Abstract Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of chiropractic spinal manipulation on the early somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs) and resting-state electroencephalography (EEG) recorded from chronic […]

Gout Raises Risk of Heart Failure in Older Adults

— Results support need for interventions to reduce the excess risk in this population, researchers say by Nancy Walsh, Senior Staff Writer, MedPage Today April 21, 2020 Older individuals with gout were at increased risk for incident heart failure, a large population-based cohort study found. Among participants enrolled in the REasons for Geographic And Racial Differences […]

Obesity More Important Than Genetics for T2DM Risk

— Results underscore key role of weight management, Danish researchers say by Jeff Minerd, Contributing Writer, MedPage Today April 15, 2020 In a large Danish cohort study examining risk factors for type 2 diabetes, obesity overpowered both genetics and lifestyle. Obese individuals were nearly six times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes compared with […]

Cesarean delivery tied to obesity, type 2 diabetes risks in adulthood

Chavarro JE, et al. JAMA Netw Open. 2020;doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.2605. April 14, 2020 Women born via cesarean delivery were 46% more likely to develop type 2 diabetes and 11% more likely to have obesity during adulthood compared with women delivered vaginally, according to findings published in JAMA Network Open. “The results of our study suggest that the […]

Tai Chi for essential hypertension: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials

Current Hypertension Reports — Zhong D, Li J, Yang H, et al. | March 05, 2020 From inception to January 1, 2020, a total of 9 databases were explored to test the safety and effectiveness of Tai Chi for essential hypertension (EH). In this systematic review, a total of 28 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving […]

Effect of egg consumption on blood pressure: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials

Current Hypertension Reports — Kolahdouz-Mohammadi R, Malekahmadi M, Clayton ZS, et al. | March 05, 2020 In the present study, the researchers sought to identify and quantify the outcomes of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that have evaluated the effect of egg consumption on blood pressure in adults. Fifteen RCTs were involved with a total of […]

Substituting Olive Oil for Animal Fats Does a Body Good, Study Suggests

— Benefits observed in non-Mediterranean population by Nicole Lou, Staff Writer, MedPage Today March 5, 2020 Greater olive oil consumption was tied to lower cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk, but substituting plant-based oils for animal fats in general could also be helpful for most people, a study showed. Comparing those who ate the most vs the […]

Regular Ol’ Fish Oil Linked to Benefits in Study

— CVD events, deaths down with omega-3 fatty acid supplementation by Nicole Lou, Staff Writer, MedPage Today March 5, 2020 Britons who took fish oil supplements — and not the prescription pharmaceutical-grade kind — lived longer on average and were less likely to develop cardiovascular disease (CVD) years down the line, according to a large […]