Tag Archives: cardiovascular

The anti-ageing super-smoothie

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Scientists have identified a cocktail of “anti-ageing fruits” for the ultimate in healthy smoothies.

The scientists in France created a recipe of seven health-boosting fruit juices which together cut the risk of heart disease,stroke and increase lifespan.

 

Fotolia_25314964_XS.jpgThe super smoothie contains grapejuice, blueberries, strawberries, apple, lingonberry, acerola and aronia. The ones which contain the highest amounts of superfoods are the cowberry (aka lingonberry) – a tart, red fruit related to the cranberry – and acerola, a red cherry-like fruit that has 30 times more vitamin C than orange juice.
The final ingredient of the smoothie is aronia, or chokeberry, an American blackberry once described as the ‘healthiest berry in the world’.

Nutrionists already know that fruits contain compounds known as polyphenols which protect the heart and help prevent clogged arteries.

In animal tests, pig heart artery walls relaxed when they were exposed to the fruit juice cocktail. The researchers, from the University of Strasbourg, say that in a human, this would boost the flow of blood to the heart and ensure it got a healthy balance of nutrients and oxygen.

The team – who report their findings in the Royal Society of Chemistry journal Food and Function – also measured the antioxidant ability of different recipes to neutralise harmful molecules in the body that can damage DNA and cells.
The study found that some polyphenols were more potent than others – and that their ability to mop up harmful ‘free radicals’ that can damage DNA and cells was more important than the amount of polyphenols in each fruit.

 

 

 

To make the super smoothie you will need the following:

126ml grape juice (30 grapes)

20ml blueberry puree (15 blueberries)

20ml apple (half an apple)

10ml lingonberry juice (8 ligonberries)

8ml acerola juice (5 acerola berries)

8ml aronia juice (5 chokeberries)

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British Military Fitness launches the walkfit workout

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British Military Fitness, the UK’s largest outdoor fitness provider, has launched a new walkfit workout in eight London parks.

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Walkfit with British Military Fitness (BMF) is a new, fun way to get healthy outdoors in your local park. Led by BMF’s highly trained fitness instructors the class will keep you interested with constant variety, achievable challenges and personal encouragement.

 

 Retired Major  Robin Cope, Managing Director at BMFsaid: “Many people I’ve spoken to, like to go for a walk but wouldn’t necessarily do it by themselves. Our classes will ensure that the members are with like-minded people and will be encouraged to chat and socialise while they exercise.”

 

WF Image1 [640x480].JPGWalkfit classes will last for one hour and promise to increase your heart rate, use your muscles and improve your mobility. The BMF instructors will carefully guide you through the activities and exercises of the class, making sure that you work to a level which is right for you. They will encourage and motivate the participants throughout the class so they are fun and sociable and you’ll wonder where the time goes. It’s a whole new type of social fitness – feeling healthier, having fun and making friends.

 

“We recognised the need for an outdoor exercise class that appealed to a broader audience, focusing on our common goal of getting more people active. We’ve made the classes for everyone, so even if you’re returning to exercise after children, injury or illness, the low intensity class is perfect for you. It’s a totally different experience to a gym or other fitness classes and I can guarantee that you won’t be asked to drop and give me twenty!” says Robin.   

 

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Walkfit classes are fun, friendly, effective and great for meeting people in your local area. The launch will see classes starting in Battersea, Wandsworth, Dulwich, Peckham, Bushy Park, Hyde Park, Finsbury, and Cheam. To find your nearest Walkfit class or to try a FREE introductory class, visit www.walkfit.co.uk  

 

More about Walkfit

 

  • www.walkfit.co.uk
  • Walkfit is a new, fun way to get healthy outdoors in your local park, led by highly trained fitness instructors.
  • Classes are designed for all abilities and are taken by highly trained professional instructors who will carefully guide you through the activities and exercises. The class is low impact and low intensity exercise.
  • Walkfit payment options: one class a week is £30 per month, unlimited classes per week is £40 per month and session blocks of 3 and 5 classes are £8.50 each. There is also an over 60/under 21 rate and partner rate of membership. More information on prices can be found at www.walkfit.co.uk
  • Walkfit classes will run in the following locations: Battersea, Wandsworth, Dulwich, Peckham, Bushy Park, Hyde Park, Finsbury and Cheam.
  • British Military Fitness (BMF), founded in 1999 by Major Robin Cope as an alternative form of fitness training to gyms. Like Walkfit, BMF classes last one hour and are taken by serving or ex-armed forces physical training instructors. The basic principles are the same as Walkfit – motivational instructors, a sense of fun, strong group dynamic and use of the great outdoors.
  • BMF has over 17,000 members training in over 100 parks across the UK. For more information visit www.britmilfit.com

 

 

 

Scientists reveal how L-Arginine cleans arteries

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London: Scientists at Imperial College London have used a new chemical imaging technique to reveal how a simple dietary supplement cleans up arteries.

The new technique could one day help in the fight against atherosclerosis – the disease in which arteries get clogged up with plaque and fats, suggests the research research. (published in the August 2009 edition of the Journal of the Royal Society Interface).

Atherosclerosis is the disease underlying most heart attacks and strokes and it is characterised by lesions in the arteries, made of fats, collagen and cells.

The lesions cause artery walls to harden and thicken, which severely restricts the flow of blood around the body and they can also rupture, leading to heart attacks and strokes. Understanding the precise chemical composition of an individual’s lesions is important because the ones with higher levels of a type of fat, called cholesteryl ester, are more prone to rupture.

The team behind the new imaging technique, which is known as Attenuated Total Reflection Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopic Imaging (ATR-FTIR imaging), believe that with further refinement, it could become a useful tool for doctors wanting to assess a patient’s lesions.

For example, by combining fibre optic technology with ATR-FTIR imaging, the researchers believe doctors could carry out real-time inspections of patients with atherosclerosis, in order to assess the progress of the disease and establish which patients are at the greatest risk of complications.

Currently, doctors can use ultrasound to assess the size and location of lesions but they need to take biopsies of lesions in order to determine their chemistry. This is a complex and invasive procedure.

The researchers say the ATR-FTIR imaging could potentially improve current imaging techniques because it could combine imaging and chemical analysis, which would provide a comprehensive and accurate picture of a patient’s lesions in one procedure. In the present study, the researchers demonstrated that ATR-FTIR imaging was able to reveal the precise composition and size of the lesions and the levels of elastin, collagen and cholesteryl ester in them.

The ATR-FTIR imaging technology works by using infrared light to identify different chemical molecules, which are mapped by an array detector to create a ‘chemical photograph’.

The researchers used the technique to study the effects of age and an amino acid called L-arginine on the composition of lesions in cholesterol-fed rabbits. The work appeared to confirm that dietary L-arginine can remove lesions in the arteries of mature rabbits.

The researchers say further studies need to be done before the ATR-FTIR imaging could be used for patient care.

Lead-author, Professor Sergei Kazarian, from the Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemical Technology at Imperial College London, says:

“Atherosclerosis can be a dangerous condition and our hope is that with further work, our approaches could ultimately be used to determine which patients are most at risk of complications. That way, doctors can target treatments at those patients who most need it, in order to prevent strokes and heart attacks.”

This research was funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council.

Black tea promotes healthy cardiovascular system

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Black tea is as potent as green tea in promoting beneficial effects in the cardiovascular system, according to a new study.

Commenting on the study, independent nutritionist, Dr Carrie Ruxton from the Tea Advisory Panel notes: “Drinking tea has been linked with beneficial effects on the cardiovascular system, including slowing the progression of atherosclerosis. However, many studies showing these effects originate in East Asia where green tea is the main type of tea consumed. Given that black tea accounts for 75% of tea consumption worldwide, it is important to find out whether black tea is equivalent to green tea in relation to heart health.

“In this laboratory study, the effects of black and green tea on nitric oxide production and dilation of the blood vessels were compared. (Nitric oxide production is associated with relaxation and widening of the arteries which is good news for heart health.) Both types of tea stimulated production of nitric oxide and relaxation of the aorta, the large artery through which blood leaves the heart..

“When individual ingredients in the two types of tea were investigated some very interesting findings emerged. The only ingredient in green tea to cause nitric oxide production and relaxation of the arteries was epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG). However, ingredients in black tea – the theaflavins and thearubigins, which are produced during black tea manufacture – were far more potent than EGCG in stimulating nitric oxide production and relaxation of the aorta.

“Cardiovascular disease remains the UK’s biggest and most silent killer so this latest study is great news for black tea drinkers and demonstrates the mechanism by which tea may contribute to heart health. Other studies show that around 4 cups of tea a day is the optimal level to drink.”

Adding further comment regarding black tea consumption and heart health, guest advisor to TAP, Dr Sanjay Prasad from the heart and stroke charity CORDA notes in conclusion: “It should also be noted that several studies suggest that increased tea consumption is associated with reduced cardiovascular disease, including atherosclerosis and vascular event.[2] Increased tea consumption is also associated with reduced carotid plaque, so suggesting a protective effect of drinking three or more cups a day on carotid atherosclerosis[3]. Further work is required to validate these findings.”

The Tea Advisory Panel: The Tea Advisory Panel is supported by an unrestricted educational grant from the UK TEA COUNCIL, the trade association for the UK tea industry. For further information please call 0207 7058989.

2. CORDA was founded in 1976 to support clinical research into the prevention of heart disease and stroke using non-surgical methods. They have provided vital funding for the development of ultrasound and other non-invasive techniques used by the researchers at the Institute of Child Health to evaluate cardiovascular disease in the young. In fact, CORDA funded the world’s first cardiovascular magnetic resonance scanner at the Royal Brompton Hospital in London. Cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) does not involve harmful X-rays. It provides the most powerful pictures of the body without surgery. As a result CORDA has enabled major medical advances in the understanding of the causes and development of heart disease and stroke. To find out more about CORDA log on to www.corda.org.uk

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Blueberries may prevent belly fat and diabetes

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New Orleans: New research has revealed that blueberries may contain phytochemicals that reduce several cardiovascular disease risk factors.

The discovery was made during a study performed in laboratory rats. While the animal findings suggest blueberries may be protective against two health conditions that affect millions of Americans, more research should be done.

The researchers studied the effect of blueberries (freeze dried blueberries crushed into a powder) that were mixed into the rat diet, as part of either a low- or high-fat diet. They performed many comparisons between the rats consuming the test diets and the control rats receiving no blueberry powder. All the rats were from a research breed that is prone to being severely overweight.

In all, after 90 days, the rats that received the blueberry-enriched powder, measured as 2 percent of their diet, had less abdominal fat, lower triglycerides, lower cholesterol, and improved fasting glucose and insulin sensitivity, which are measures of how well the body processes glucose for energy.

While regular blueberry intake reduced these risks for cardiovascular disease and metabolic syndrome, the health benefits were even better when combined with a low-fat diet.

In addition to all the other health benefits, the group that consumed a low-fat diet had lower body weight, lower total fat mass and reduced liver mass, than those who ate a high fat diet. An enlarged liver is linked to obesity and insulin resistance, a hallmark of diabetes.

The rats in the study were similar to Americans who suffer fatty liver disease and metabolic syndrome as a result of high-fat diets and obesity. Metabolic syndrome is a group of health problems that include too much fat around the waist, elevated blood pressure, elevated blood sugar, high triglycerides, and together these conditions increase the risk of heart attacks, strokes and diabetes.

Olive oil protects the heart, new research reveals

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Lisbon: Scientists have discovered the constituent of olive oil that gives greatest protection from heart attack and stroke.

In a study of the major antioxidants in olive oil, Portuguese researchers showed that, DHPEA-EDA, protects red blood cells from damage more than any other part of olive oil.

Lead researcher Fatima Paiva-Martins, of the University of Porto said: “These findings provide the scientific basis for the clear health benefits that have been seen in people who have olive oil in their diet.”

Although heart disease is caused by several factors, one of the main contributors is reactive oxygen, including free radicals, acting on LDL or “bad” cholesterol causing hardening of the arteries. Red blood cells are particularly susceptible to oxidative damage because they are the body’s oxygen carriers.

In the study, published in Molecular Nutrition & Food Research, the researchers studied the effects of four related polyphenolic compounds on red blood cells subjected to oxidative stress by a known free radical generating chemical.

DHPEA-EDA was the most effective and protected red blood cells even at low concentrations. The researchers say the study provides the first evidence that this compound is the major source of the health benefit associated with virgin olive oils, which contain increased levels of DHPEA-EDA compared to other oils. In virgin olive oils, DHPEA-EDA may make up as much as half the total antioxidant component of the oil.

Paiva-Martins says the findings could lead to the production of “functional” olive oils specifically designed to reduce the risk of heart disease. “Now we have identified the importance of these compounds, producers can start to care more about the polyphenolic composition of their oils,” she says.

Docs closer to polypill for killer disease

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A new trial in India has shown that the so-called “polypill” to guard against stroke and heart attack in older people has beneficial results.

The concept of a polypill for everyone over 55 to cut heart disease by up to 80% was mooted over five years ago, but slow progress has been made since.

But critics of pill-popping as a cure for disease say the problems of high blood pressure and cholesterol should be tackled with diet and exercise.

The polypill used in the latest study, published in the medical journal The Lancet, combines five active pharmacological ingredients widely available separately – aspirin, a statin to lower cholesterol and three blood pressure-lowering drugs – as well as folic acid to reduce homocysteine.

Trials were carried out on 2,053 healthy individuals free of cardiovascular disease, but with a risk factor such as high blood pressure or a long-term smoker, showed combining the drugs into one tablet delivered a similar effect to each drug separately.

Reductions were seen in both blood pressure and cholesterol without any major side effects.

The researchers believe that the combined action of all the components in their “Polycap” capsule made by Cadila Pharmaceuticals, could potentially halve strokes and heart attacks in average, middle-aged people.

The study, led by Dr Salim Yusuf, from McMaster University in Ontario, Canada, took in people at 50 centres across India.

A UK team led by Professor Simon Thom of Imperial College London is testing another polypill to see whether it does cut death rates.

They have been testing a four-in-one polypill called the Red Heart Pill, with the backing of the Wellcome Trust and the British Heart Foundation, which could cost as little as 15 euros per person per year.

Professor Thom said it would be at least five years before there was enough data to convince drug regulators to approve a polypill.

“Mounting evidence shows the polypill does exactly what it should, but no more, whereas exercise has wide reaching effects on health and wellbeing. So a polypill is an addition rather than a replacement for lifestyle interventions.”

Omega 3 – How to find the best by the experts at Croda

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NOT ALL OMEGA 3 IS EQUAL
SO HOW CAN WE TELL THE DIFFERENCE?

Recent media reports have shown that omega 3 supplements on the UK high street vary significantly in terms of the amount of essential fatty acids they contain. Trying to cut through the confusion for consumers is becoming increasingly paramount, because omega 3 fatty acids have clear benefits for many areas of our health and lifestyle, such as heart, circulation and brain health. But we need to seek the best possible quality – and the question remains, how can we tell what’s best?

Pure concentration

An exciting new development area at the top end of the omega 3 spectrum is in high potency, high purity omega 3 marine-based supplement concentrates, which are creating new opportunities and bringing additional health benefits to consumers. They are enriched in EPA, (Eicosapentaenoic Acid), DHA (Docosahexaenoic Acid), and in some, the newly emerging DPA (Docosapentaenoic Acid), seen by experts as the next generation in omega 3 for heart health. Concentrates are distilled and refined during several processes, which also reduces the level of saturates and contaminants which may remain in more unrefined 18/12 grades.

But there’s a catch…

There is currently no globally accepted standard for the omega 3 levels required to define a fish oil product as a ‘concentrate’. Most fish oils currently on the market are based on cod liver or ‘18/12’ oils. 18/12 oils are sourced from blended fish body oils and are known as ‘18/12’ because they give an EPA/DHA ratio of 18% and 12% respectively per 1g of oil. In low-cost health supplements, they form the basis of many so-called ‘concentrates’.

What am I looking for?

Check the ingredient list on the pack to find out the content and dosage of each fatty acid. Look for more of EPA and DPA if you are taking omega 3 for heart health and DHA for brain health.

In true concentrates, fewer and smaller capsules are needed per omega 3 dose, which means that compliance is enhanced and therefore the therapeutic benefits boosted.

Typical fish oil concentrate label information shows:
Nutritional Information Amount per Softgel % RDA
Fish Oil 1200mg *
Providing Omega 3 fatty acids 720mg *
EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) 396mg *
DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) 264mg *
Other fatty acids 60mg *

There is no official RDA, but two world-renowned and respected scientific committees have offered advice on this subject:

• The UK’s JCHI (Joint Health Claims Initiative) recommends that 0.45g of long chain omega 3 fatty acids daily to help maintain a healthy heart
• The AHA (American Heart Association) recommends:
o 1-2g per day to help maintain a healthy heart
o 4g EPA + DHA per day for people with coronary heart disease

Stamp of approval
Croda has developed the PureMax sign of quality. Products displaying the PureMax logo have gone through a unique purification and concentration technology process. The process removes heavy metals, environmental pollutants and oxidative impurities to ensure the highest quality oils. The end products have minimal impurities and contain the selectively concentrated fatty acids. Higher concentration offers greater consumer convenience, improved palatability, better dose compliance and greater cost-efficiency.

So look out for the PureMax stamp of approval to ensure you are taking the best omega 3.

Visit www.puremax.info to discover more.

For further information and to receive a comprehensive omega 3 information pack, please contact Claire or Stephen at Fuel PR on 020 7498 8211. Experts available for interview.

• References:
o Arterburn LM, Bailey E, Oken H; Distribution, interconversion, and dose response of n-3 fatty acids in human, Am J Clin Nutr, 2006, 83, 1467S-76S
o Barton CL, Next-Generation Nutraceuticals . Food and pharma convergence in disease prevention and personalized nutrition, Business Insights Ltd, 2006
o Calder PC, Grimble RF; Polyunsaturated fatty acids, inflammation and immunity, European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2002, 26 Suppl 3, S14-S19.

Essential minerals may cut heart attack risk

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A diet rich in minerals such as potassium, magnesium and calcium may cut the risk of developing coronary heart diseases and stroke, suggests a new study.

The findings, published in the Journal of Clinical Hypertension, suggest that an increased consumption of these minerals through fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy products might reduce high blood pressure and decrease blood pressure in people with hypertension, which is one of the main causes of cardiovascular disease.

According to the paper, Americans consume double the sodium and about half the potassium that is recommended by current guidelines. If they are able to increase their potassium intake, the number of adults with blood pressure levels higher than 140/90 mm Hg might decrease by more than 10 per cent and increase life expectancy.

Some studies have also shown that diets high in magnesium at least 500 to 1,000 mg/d and calcium more than 800 mg/d may lead to both a decrease in blood pressure and risk of developing hypertension. Data regarding these minerals, however, are not definitive.

“If we were to achieve the correct potassium/sodium ratio through dietary means, there would be less hypertension and cardiovascular disease in the population as a whole,” said Dr Mark C Houston, author of the study.

High GI foods linked to lifestyle diseases

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Sydney: Scientists in Australia have found conclusive evidence that a high GI diet, generally rich in food that is burnt by the body quickly, leads to a higher risk of common lifestyle diseases.

The Glycemic Index (GI) is a measure of how different foods affect your blood glucose levels, with those that are “low GI” released more slowly and deemed better for health. This slow release means that less insulin is released into the bloodstream and the body’s stores less fat.

A team of nutrition experts at the University of Sydney evaluated 37 diet studies involving nearly two million people worldwide to analyse the effect of eating high GI foods, which are usually highly processed.

The study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, found a link between a high GI diet and a high risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease.The diet was also linked to gall stones and some types of cancer.

Lead researcher, Alan Barclay said: “The key message from this study is that the GI of your diet is a powerful predictor of disease risk.Grandma was right, you are what you eat.”

He said the link with diabetes was “not surprising” because eating high GI foods inflates your blood glucose and insulin levels.

“You may literally ‘wear out’ your pancreas over time and eventually it may lead to type 2 diabetes in older age,” Mr Barclay said.

The researchers were more surprised by the “strong relationship” between GI and cancer.

High GI foods cause constant spikes in blood glucose which increase insulin and a related substance called ‘insulin-like growth factor one’, both of which have been shown to increase the risk of developing cancer.

“Other research shows that a high GI diet tends to reduce ‘good’ HDL cholesterol levels and raise triglycerides levels; bad news for cardiovascular diseases,” he said.

“And people with low HDL cholesterol and high triglyceride levels are more prone to gall stones.”

The researchers said their findings support eating a low GI diet to maintain healthy weight and help avoid disease.

Caryl Nowson, a professor of nutrition and ageing at Deakin University in Melbourne, said because high GI foods were typically high in fat and sugar and low in fibre, they were also ready known to be linked with disease.

“This review is just a new way of breaking down dietary information we already have,” Prof Nowson said.

She said while the benefits of eating according to GI rating had been proven, it was just one of many ways to structure a healthy diet.

“If you focus on having a classically balanced diet high in fibre and low in sugar, fat and refined foods you’ll find you’re eating relatively low GI anyway,” Prof Nowson said.

Couples who row live longer

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Michigan: Couples who row over their differences are more likely to live longer than those who bottle up stress.

This is the conclusion of reserach at the University of Michigan School of Public Health where scientists studied 192 couples over 17 years, placing them into four categories.

The first consisted of couples where both partners communicated their anger and the second of couples where the husband showed anger while the wife suppressed it.

The third comprised couples where only the wife showed anger; and the fourth relationships where both parties suppressed it. The researchers found that death during the period of the study was twice as likely in the final group than in all other types.

The trend was evident even when other factors such as age, smoking, weight, blood pressure, bronchial problems and cardiovascular risk were taken into account.

Longevity experts have long said that stress is one of the biggest killers and leads to inflammation and diseases of ageing such as heart disease.

Within the 26 couples where both suppressed their anger, there were 13 deaths.

However, in the remaining three groups, 166 couples in total, there were only 41 deaths combined, half the rate.

Ernest Harburg, professor emeritus at the University said: ‘When couples get together, one of their main jobs is reconciliation about conflict.

Professor Harburg stressed that the preliminary figures are small, and that researchers are now collecting follow-up data spread over 30 years.

FDA posts heart attack warning on anti-diabetes drug Avandia

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Washington: The US Food and Drug Administration has announced that the manufacturer of Avandia (rosiglitazone), a drug used to treat type 2 diabetes, has agreed to add new information to the existing boxed warning in the drug’s labeling about potential increased risk for heart attacks.

People with type 2 diabetes who have underlying heart disease or who are at high risk of heart attack should talk with their health care provider about the revised warning as they evaluate treatment options. FDA advises health care providers to closely monitor patients who take Avandia for cardiovascular risks.

Janet Woodcock, MD, the FDA’s deputy commissioner for scientific and medical programmes and acting director of the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research said: “The FDA has moved expeditiously to review the cardiovascular risks of this drug so that we could inform patients and doctors at the earliest possible time of our findings.

“The FDA remains committed to making sure that doctors and patients have the latest information about the risks and benefits of medicines.”

Avandia is manufactured by Philadelphia-based GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and was approved in 1999 as an adjunct to diet and exercise to improve control of blood sugar levels. Avandia is approved to be used as a single therapy or used in combination with metformin and sulfonylureas, other oral anti-diabetes treatments.

During the past year, FDA has carefully weighed several complex sources of data, some which show conflicting results, related to the risk of chest pain, heart attacks and heart-related deaths, and deaths from any cause in patients treated with Avandia.

At this time, FDA has concluded that there isn’t enough evidence to indicate that the risks of heart attacks or death are different between Avandia and some other oral type 2 diabetes treatments. Therefore, FDA has requested that GSK conduct a new long-term study to evaluate the potential cardiovascular risk of Avandia, compared to an active control agent. GSK has agreed to conduct the study and FDA will ensure it is initiated promptly.

The revision of Avandia’s existing boxed warning – FDA’s strongest form of warning – includes the following statement:

“A meta-analysis of 42 clinical studies (mean duration 6 months; 14,237 total patients), most of which compared Avandia to placebo, showed Avandia to be associated with an increased risk of myocardial ischemic events such as angina or myocardial infarction. Three other studies (mean duration 41 months; 14,067 patients), comparing Avandia to some other approved oral antidiabetic agents or placebo, have not confirmed or excluded this risk. In their entirety, the available data on the risk of myocardial ischemia are inconclusive.”

The previous upgraded warning, added to certain diabetes drugs (in class of drugs related to Avandia) on Aug. 14, 2007, emphasized that these types of drugs may worsen heart failure, a condition in which the heart does not adequately pump blood, in some patients.

GSK is also developing a Medication Guide for patients to provide additional information about the benefits and risks and safe use of Avandia.

So far no oral anti-diabetes drug has been conclusively shown to reduce cardiovascular risk. Consequently, the agency also will be requesting that labeling of all approved oral anti-diabetes drugs contain language describing the lack of data showing this benefit.

Today’s action follows recommendations made at the July 2007 joint meeting of FDA’s Endocrine and Metabolic Drugs and Drug Safety and Risk Management Advisory Committees. At the meeting, members voted 22-1 to recommend that Avandia stay on the market, pending a review of additional data. The committee also advised that information warning of the potential for increased risk of heart attacks should be added to the drug labeling.

UK’s first public debate on genetic screening to be held in London

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London: Genetic screening for common diseases……..Fact or fiction?

The UK’s first public debate on genetic screening is being held at The Wellcome Institute, London, Thursday 8th November 6.30pm – 8.30pm. For more information go to www.geneticconference.com

There has been so much in the press this year about the use of genetic screening as a powerful new diagnostic tool for predicting risk in areas such as:

Heart disease, thrombosis, hypertension, metabolism and obesity, osteoporosis, drug metabolism, and cancer predisposition, especially prostate, breast and ovarian cancers.

But is it really what it is cracked up to be? Is there a proven link between some gene polymorphisms and the onset of age related diseases.

Here for the first time an eminent group of doctors and scientists discuss the facts, the scientific evidence, and the potential application in the physician’s surgery.

For two hours on Thursday evening you can have a unique opportunity to hear, not only from leading researchers and clinicians, but also from doctors who have been using this exciting new tool for over two years in the UK.

The excellent speakers: Prof Stephen Bustin (Barts and The London), Prof Mark McCarthy (Oxford), Dr Paul Jenkins (Barts), Dr Lobo (Barts), Dr Brull (The Whittington).

This is the first event of its kind in the UK and a unique opportunity to learn about this powerful new diagnostic tool.

Places will be limited as the lecture hall only holds 150. So please book your place online as soon as you can, to be assured of your place. There will be a small exhibition alongside the meeting, a good opportunity to network and enjoy a glass of wine afterwards.

To register please call + 44 (0)20 8742 3789 so we can register you. For more information to www.geneticconference.com or email a.misplan@geneticconference.com

This event is sponored by the UK’s Genetic Health, Roche and the magazine Body Language.

Diet drinks linked to metabolic disorders

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New York: Diet drinks (sodas) may be linked to a number of diseases including metabolic syndrome- high blood pressure, elevated blood sugar, a big waist, high triglycerides (a blood fat) and low HDL (good) cholesterol.

Metabolic syndrome is believed to be a risk factor for heart disease, according to the report published in the Journal of Circulation

Researchers collected food questionnaires from about 6,000 middle-aged people over several years. Those who drank less than one soda per day were about half as likely to develop metabolic syndrome as those who drank more than one.

Previous studies have suggested (but not proven) that drinking soda may be a marker for a number of factors this study didn’t fully account for:

* an unhealthy lifestyle generally (some of which was controlled for in this study)
* an increased taste for sweet foods triggered by sweet-tasting beverages, regardless of the source of the sweetness (this is only a hypthesis)
* lower economic status (Soda is cheaper than many healthier beverages, meaning people with less money–whom other studies have suggested are at higher risk for heart disease–are more likely to drink them.)

Other researchers have suggested that drinking diet soda is a marker for a desire to lose weight, which could explain why those who drink diet soda appear to be at elevated risk of metabolic syndrome.

New report looks at ways to promote walking

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People can be encouraged to walk for up to 30-60 minutes more per week if they are given the right kind of help, finds a study published on www.bmj.com today. This could make a valuable contribution to improving public health.

Physical activity reduces the risk of heart disease, diabetes and cancer of the colon, write David Ogilvie and colleagues for the Scottish Physical Activity Research Collaboration (SPARColl). Walking is a free and convenient way to be active, and most people can continue walking into old age. Promoting walking could therefore help tackle the health problems linked to today’s inactive lifestyles.

The authors reviewed 48 studies of different approaches to promoting walking. The most successful were tailored to people’s needs and targeted at sedentary people or at those most motivated to change. These increased walking in the target groups by up to 30-60 minutes a week on average, at least in the short term. Given how little exercise most people take, this amounts to a substantial increase, say the authors.

The authors found that walking could be encouraged in a variety of ways. Examples included giving face to face advice or telephone support, using pedometers, or promoting walking as an environmentally friendly mode of transport. Different people may respond to different approaches, say the authors. One size may not fit all, and a range of options should be offered, they conclude.

Click here to view the full article: www.presspssprings.co.uk

Weekly exercise sufficient for health

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Oslo: It only takes one bout of exercise each week to reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke, according to new research from Norway.

One intense bout of exercise a week lowered the risk of death by 51 per cent in women and 39 per cent in men, in the study carried out by the Norwegian University of Science and Technology and St Olav’s Hospital in Trondheim.

The scientists also discovered that increasing the amount of exercise did not improve results.

The findings are the result of a 16-year study in which cardiologists investigated how the amount and intensity of exercise was linked to death in 27,143 men and 28,929 women.

At the end of the study period 10.8 per cent of the men, and 8.6 per cent of the women had died from heart disease or stroke. When the researchers looked at the subjects’ exercise history, they found that a single weekly bout of exercise of high intensity reduced the risk of cardiovascular death compared with those who reported no activity.

The researchers condluded that the results challenge the current recommendation that expenditure of at least 1,000 kcal per week is required to achieve exercise-induced protection.

Arteries of heart disease sufferers age prematurely

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Cambridge: Heart disease suffers have advanced deterioration of their arteries, according to scientists at Cambridge University.

In early stages of heart disease arteries will be between five and 15 years older than a person’s real age. But in advanced cases they will be more than 40 years older.

Professor Martin Bennett, British Heart Foundation professor of cardiovascular sciences, whose research group at Cambridge University led the research, said that a combination of high blood pressure, smoking and high cholesterol aged the arteries prematurely.

The study published in the journal Circulation Research, used discarded human tissue from heart bypass and transplant patients to examine artery cell ageing.

Prof Bennett’s team, which collaborated with surgeons and pathologists from Papworth Hospital, near Cambridge, found the smooth muscle cells of diseased blood vessels showed evidence of ‘ accelerated’ damage.

It’s never to late to start exercise

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Heidelberg: People who first start exercising late in life still cut the risk of heart disease, according to new research from the German University of Heidelberg.

Beginning exercise in the 40s results in a 55 per cent less likelihood of being diagnosed with heart disease. But people who have been active all their lives are the least likely to suffer problems at around 60 per cent.

The research team looked at 312 adults aged between 40 and 68 with heart disease and compared them with 479 healthy people. Those with heart disease were also far more likely to smoke, have diabetes and high blood pressure.

One in ten with heart disease said they took no exercise compared to one in teenty who did not. The results of the research are published in the medical journal Heart.

Lead researcher Dr Dietrich Rothenbacher said the results also suggested that changing from a sedentary to a more active lifestyle also strongly decreased the risk of coronary heart disease.