Tag Archives: heart

Folic acid does reduce heart disease risk, says new research

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London: Folic acid is a cheap and simple way of reducing heart disease and strokes, say scientists in a report in the British Medical Journal.

Folic acid, found in vegetables such as asparagas and also in vitamin supplements, lowers levels of homocysteine in the blood (an amino acid implicated in the development of arterial disease). But experts are still undecided on the role that homocysteine plays.

So heart expert, Dr David Wald and colleagues set out to clarify the issue. They examined all the evidence from different studies to see whether raised homocysteine is a cause of cardiovascular disease.

Some studies looked at homocysteine and the occurrence of heart attacks and strokes in large numbers of people (cohort studies), some focused on people with a common genetic variant which increases homocysteine levels to a small extent (genetic studies), while others tested the effects of lowering homocysteine levels (randomised controlled trials).

The cohort studies and genetic studies yielded similar results, indicating a protective effect from lower homocysteine levels, even though they did not share the same sources of possible error. The randomised trials were too small to be conclusive although their results were consistent with the expected protective effects of folic acid.

The conclusion that homocysteine is a cause of cardiovascular disease explains the observations from all the different types of study, even if the results from one type of study are, on their own, insufficient to reach that conclusion, say the authors.

Since folic acid reduces homocysteine concentrations, it follows that increasing folic acid consumption will reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke.

They therefore take the view that the evidence is now sufficient to justify action on lowering homocysteine concentrations, although the position should be reviewed as evidence from ongoing clinical trials emerges.

Coenzyme claims not supported by medical evidence, says Mayo Clinic

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New York: A new study by the Mayo Clinic says that most of the health claims for Coenzyme Q10, a supplement that may be helpful in many of the diseases of ageing, are not suported by scientific evidence.

Coenzyme Q10 is a vitamin-like compound found in the energy-producing centre of each cell in the body and helps energise cells. It is thought to protect from disease but declines with age.

But according to the November issue of Mayo Clinic Health Letter, scientific evidence doesn’t support most of the health claims. So far, it’s not known if low coenzyme Q10 levels cause disease or if taking supplements can prevent or treat disease. Of the many coenzyme Q10 studies, most have been small. Many have not been “controlled,” where some participants take a placebo.

However, some coenzyme Q10 studies appear to have scientific merit. There has been some evidence of benefit for people with Parkinson’s disease, migraine and high blood pressure, but more studies are needed. So far, there’s not enough evidence to make medical recommendations.

Israeli scientists grow adult stem cells to cure heart disease

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Israeli scientists have successfully grown powerful adult stem cells from those circulating in the blood and returned them to revitalise the hearts of ailing patients.

The details of the clinical trial will be announced at the American Heart Association Scientific Meeting in Chicago later this week. The results give new hope to seriously ill heart patients.

Members of the AHA will be given an abstract of clinical trial results that conclusively demonstrate the efficacy of adult stem cell treatment for end stage cardiac patients.

TheraVitae, the acknowledged leader in stem cell research and development is to present recently concluded trial results that provide dramatic data revealing the improvement in the lives of seriously ill patients.

The founder of Theravitae, Don Margolis, said that a mere half pint of each patient’s blood was extracted in Bangkok and flown to their laboratory in Israel. There, the few adult stem cells were harvested into millions of such cells. A week later those infinitely more powerful cells were injected non-surgically into the patient’s cardio-vascular system.

Standard cardiac measurements and the patients’ own words give eloquent testimony to the positive outcomes of harvesting stem cells from these seriously ill cardiac patients.

Margolis is upbeat that patients can receive the best hospital care available anywhere in the world and a significant number can then return to a new, more normal and healthy life. These findings give new hope to sufferers via clinically proven mainstream medical methods.

About VesCell – A Natural Treatment for Heart Disease

The body has natural ways of healing itself and the cardiovascular system is no exception. Angiogenic Cell Precursors (ACPs) originate in bone marrow and then circulate in the blood vessels. To manufacture VesCell, TheraVitae expands a small number of ACPs harvested from about 250cc of blood into a therapeutic quantity. VesCell is injected either through a coronary artery via catheter, or during surgery, directly into the heart muscle.

A key aspect of VesCell therapy is the advanced cell isolation and expansion technique that allows for the ACPs to be harvested from blood collected in a procedure similar to a common blood donation. VesCell uses a patient’s own adult stem cells to treat Heart Disease and is a viable therapeutic possibility for heart patients without any other treatment option.

Additional Information on Stem Cell Therapy:

VesCell Website: www.vescell.com
Stem Cell Therapy Blog:
About TheraVitae

TheraVitae is a private, multinational company focused on using stem cells from the patient’s own blood in order to treat a variety of disorders, especially cardiovascular diseases. The company has already developed a proprietary stem cell technology ‘VesCell’ that is currently being used by hospitals in Thailand to treat patients with Heart Disease. TheraVitae is based in Bangkok, Thailand, Kiryat Weizmann, Israel, Toronto, Canada, Singapore, Taipei, Taiwan and Hong Kong.

TheraVitae Corporate Website: www.theravitae.com
TheraVitae Thailand
36/72 PS Tower, 21/Fl., Sukhumvit 21
Klongtoey Nua, Bangkok 10110
Phone: +662-664-4290/3
Fax: +662-664-42-89

TheraVitae Israel
7 Pinhas Sapir Street
P.O. Box 4049, Ness Ziona
74140, Israel
Phone: +972-8-9409170
Fax: +972-8-9409167

Heart defect on increase in UK

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London: A heart condition, known as artrial fibrillation, which causes an irregular heart beat is on the increase in the UK.

It is estimated that as many as 2 per cent of the population is affected and many may be unaware of it.

As a result experts at the Royal College of Physicians have produced new doctor guidelines so that sufferers can be detected earlier and treated before complications set in.

The condition is one of the most common to affect the heart but is an indicator of a future stroke. The symptoms may include fainting, shortness of breath and dizziness.

A heart monitor can confirm the condition and patients are treated with a blood-thinning drug such as Warfarin.

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.

Walnuts preserve arterial health

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Barcelona: Walnuts are rich in a nutrient that protects the health of arteries, scientists have discovered.

It is the damage caused by fatty foods which causes hardening of the arteries, the main cause of heart attacks and stroke.

In a study at Spain’s Hospital Clinico new research published in the Journal of the American Cardiology reveals that just of an ounce of walnuts a day (28g) – seven or eight nuts – is enough for optimal health.

The research is the latest to reveal the health benefits of eating seeds and nuts such as almonds, pumpkin and sunflower which contain vital protective oils and other nutrients.

In the study, Dr Emilio Ros, an expert in heart health, examined how walnuts countered the effects of eating fatty foods in a group of healthy adults. The results showed that even amongst those who ate fatty foods such as cheese and salami, the walnuts helped preserved elasticity and flexibility.

10 Ways to Save your Husband’s Life

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London: New research1 to coincide with World Heart Day 2006 finds men in midlife still taking HEALTH risks: 45% of men would wait until they were ill before taking action and changing their lifestyle and behaviour; Wives and partners could be the key to better health and longer life for men.

The inequality in life expectancy between men and women is growing wider
and men are falling behind at a faster pace than ever. In 1940 women outlived men by 4.4 years – today the average is nearly seven.2

The biggest cause of premature death in men is heart disease, despite being one of the most easily treated and, therefore, preventable causes of death. New research1 from healthcare company McNeil Ltd. highlights men’s risk taking attitudes as they enter mid-life.

Particularly relevant for World Heart Day 2006 (24th September) is the important role men identify for wives and partners in helping them change engrained and often life threatening behaviour.

Men’s behaviours and attitudes are threatening their health and happiness? Midlife does not seem to have affected men’s ambition with 60% of men over 45 feeling they still had much to achieve, while nearly a third clearly stated feeling excited about entering a new stage of their lives.

Life is still good with 43% of the men surveyed claiming they had had sex in the last seven days! Men considered the biggest priority for their health over the next 20 years was keeping mentally capable, staying out of hospital and being
there for their kids. 45% of men would only be prompted into improving their health and changing unhealthy behaviour by becoming ill first – the idea of preventing potential problems through diet and behaviour is an anathema.

One third of men over 45 never exercise and 13% are perfectly happy
with the fact they are unfit and overweight – and as a consequence at
increased risk of heart attack. A quarter of men over 45 drink more than the weekly allowance of 21 units and over half were on some sort of medication, indicating a clear need for men to re-evaluate their health and lifestyle choices.

“The biggest killer of men is heart disease and too many men are dying from
this condition by failing to tackle their risks,” said Dr. Mike Ingram, GP and men’s health specialist.

“The risk of heart disease increases with age- while men might covet a sports car or motorbike during their ‘menoporsche’, if they want to enjoy a long and active life they need to focus more on reducing their risk factors for heart disease such as smoking, blood pressure and cholesterol.

Regardless of where you start, reduction of cholesterol through diet and the proven effectiveness of statins will reduce risk. “ Key to a healthy heart is wives and partners The research highlighted how wives and partners were regarded by men as key to becoming more proactive with their health. Men ranked their wives and partners as equal to GPs in prompting changes towards healthier behaviour.

“Considering men spend more time with their wives and partners than their local GP, there is clearly a role and responsibility for them to motivate the men in their lives to look after their health,” said Dr Mike Ingram.

“If men are going to enjoy the increasing trend of a healthy old age then changing risky behaviour as they reach their “male menopause” is the key. Time after time I see men at my surgery whose attendance has been due to their wives concerns. I know that their motivation and support will help change their behaviour and even avoid an untimely and premature death.”

McNeil Ltd., manufacturers of Zocor Heart Pro®, the over-the-counter pill that effectively reduces cholesterol, recommends the following 10 simple ways that wives and partners could actually help to save their husband’s
life.

Ten Ways to Save Your Husbands Life:
1. Know the warning signs : Changes in bowel or bladder habits; Recurrent chest pain; Unexplained weight loss or gain; Extreme fatigue; Ensure that he makes a GP appointment if he has any of these symptoms

2. Does he know his blood pressure? High blood pressure damages the blood vessels, heart and kidneys

3. Encourage him to check himself out with routine testicular checks.

4. Promote a healthy diet – encourage him to eat a healthy, low fat diet with at least five portions of fruit and vegetables a day

5. Stop smoking – Create a new routine and rewards for milestones. NHS Quitline
recommends using nicotine replacement therapy at the same time as cutting
down on cigarettes, as it improves success.

6. Exercise regularly – give him encouragement, time and space to take exercise, or make it part of the family regime – little and often to start with

7. Reduce alcohol intake – do you know how much he drinks at home in the week – probably you won’t – show him the cans and bottles from a single week’s recycling if he is getting through more than 10 pints a week.

8. Be realistic about weight: be honest with your husband or partner
about whether he needs to lose weight and how much he needs to lose. The best way to do this is to follow a healthy low fat diet and regular gentle
exercise.

9. Reduce his cholesterol – get him to have his cholesterol levels checked and take appropriate steps to reduce it. If he is over 45 ask your pharmacist if he should take an OTC statin.

Be Patient – the goal of taking a more active role in men’s health care is to
get your husband to take better care of himself, and to get the next generation of men to start building good habits. A small change can make
a big difference.

Heart attack is the single biggest cause of premature death in the UK and will account for 1 in 4 male deaths each year4. Raised cholesterol is a key risk factor for heart attack in men over 45. There is an estimated 8.8 million of people who are considered at moderate risk of a heart attack (10-15% chance) in the next 10 years3. While many in this group will be below the threshold that would make them eligible for prescription statins, the single most effective product that you can buy to reduce cholesterol before it becomes a problem is an over the counter statin from the pharmacist.

Zocor Heart-Pro® contains simvastatin, always read the leaflet. Consult
your pharmacist for advice. Zocor Heart-Pro® is suitable for men aged 55 or over. In addition it is suitable for men aged between 45 and 54, or women aged 55 or over if they have a one or more of the following risk factors: a family history of heart disease, smoke (current or within last 5 years), are overweight, or
have a family origin from South Asia. References: 1. TNS Onlinebus conducted 183 interviews with men aged 45-64 on 24th-27th August 2006 2. “19 Ways the Save Your Husband’s Life” By Armin Brott 3. Ipsos RSL Consumer Survey amongst 612 UK adults. July 2004. 4. British Heart Foundations Statistical Database. 2003.

Organic milk no better than cheaper type, says British food watchdog

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London: Organic milk has no health advantage over conventional types, the UK’s food watchdog, the Foods Standards Agency(FSA) has found.

A recent three-year study conducted at the Universities of Glasgow and Liverpool found organic milk contained 68 per cent more omega 3 fatty acids on average than conventional milk. Omega 3s are thought to cut the risk of heart disease, and have been linked with better concentration in children.

As a result 14 scientists from around the world demanded that the FSA to recognise the nutritional advantages of organic milk. But the Food Standards Agency this week rejected claims of any health benefits.

It did say that organic milk ‘can contain higher levels of types of fats called short-chain omega 3 fatty acids than conventionally produced milk’.

But it said these are of ‘limited health benefit’ compared with the longer chain omega 3 fatty acids found in oily fish.

Vitamin C improves heart function

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Tokyo: Vitamin C can improve heart function during exercise in patients who have suffered a heart attack, according to a report in the International Journal of Cardiology.

The vitamin improves the efficiency of the sympathetic nervous system, which is part of the nervous system that controls heart rate and other involuntary body responses. Heart disease can cause the sympathetic function to deteriorate.

Dr. Kazuyo Kato and other colleagues from Nippon Medical School, Tokyo, investigated whether ascorbic acid influenced the sympathetic response to exercise in 21 men who were studied at least one month after a myocardial infarction. The participants underwent symptom-limited exercise testing twice, once 2 hours after oral administration of 2 grams of ascorbic acid and once without the supplement.

Although resting blood pressure and heart rate did not differ with or without ascorbic acid, the authors report, the heart rate response to peak exercise was significantly higher, an indication of better heart function, after ascorbic acid than without ascorbic acid.

Ascorbic acid administration also improved heart rate increases from rest to peak exercise, as well as the peak oxygen consumption, the results indicate.

“These data suggest that an antioxidant vitamin such as ascorbic acid can effect a recovery of the sympathetic dysfunction caused by injury through excessive oxidative stress and improve exercise intolerance,” Dr. Kato and colleagues conclude.

“Further studies are needed to determine whether long-term ascorbic acid administration will improve sympathetic nerve dysfunction in patients and whether other antioxidants would

Beta blockers raise diabetes risk, says new study

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London: The range of drugs known as beta blockers which doctors may use to to treat high blood pressure increase the risk of diabetes, according to new research.

Diabetes increases the risk high risk of heart attacks, strokes and kidney disease. Patients on beta blockers are face a 50 per cent higher risk than with the latest drugs.

The National Institute for Clinical Excellence, the UK government body that approves drugs for public use said that doctors should use the newer ace inhibitors and calcium channel blockers should be the first choice treatment for the millions of Britons being treated for high blood pressure.

The results of a new clinical trial show beta blockers may hasten and, in some cases, induce diabetes.

Although many patients are being switched to newer drugs by their doctors when they go for a scheduled check-up, beta-blockers remain in wide use.

They are still considered the best treatment for conditions such as angina, and
doctors have warned patients not to stop taking them without medical advice as
sudden withdrawal may trigger a heart attack.

The trial which was reported at the World Congress of Cardiology in Barcelona which exposed the diabetes risk was led by Professor Neil Poulter,
co-director of the International Centre for Circulatory Health at Imperial
College London.

He said that the chance of a patient with raised blood pressure developing diabetes can be cut by newer treatments, irrespective of the patient’s initial level of risk. Many cases of diabetes could be prevented if doctors avoid prescribing the older treatments to hypertensive patients unless they specifically require them.

Despite the warning experts point out that for the remaining beta-blocker patients, the benefits of the drugs in lowering blood pressure still massively outweigh the diabetes risk, so they should not suddenly stop taking them.

The study looked at 14,000 patients in the UK, Ireland and Scandinavia, half of
whom were taking the old combination of the betablocker Atenolol and a diuretic.
The others were prescribed a calcium channel blocker called amlodipine and the
ace-inhibitor perindopril, and in this group 34 per cent fewer patients
developed diabetes over three years.

The study suggests the aceinhibitor protects against the condition, while the
other drug is neutral. But the beta-blocker and diuretic combination actually
encourages diabetes.

THE BETTER ALTERNATIVE TO BETAS
BETA-BLOCKERS were introduced in the 1960s and were a mainstay of treatment
until the 1990s, when side effects such as reduced energy levels meant many
patients were switched to newer drugs.

Clinical trials over the last three years have suggested they are less effective
than newer versions. But they remain useful against angina and some other
conditions. Patients with these who also have high blood pressure may still get
them.

They work by blocking the action of a chemical called noradrenaline, which helps
prepare the body for emergencies.
Noradrenaline speeds up the heart, making it pump more forcibly and pushing up
blood pressure as a result. The drugs block the binding of the chemical on
receptors on the heart, slowing down its action.

New ace-inhibitor drugs work by blocking a process which narrows blood vessels
and so increases pressure. Calcium channel blockers also avoid narrowing of the
arteries by stopping muscle cells contracting.

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.

Divorce increases heart attack risk in women

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Houston: Women who divorce are 50 per cent more likely to develop heart disease in later life than those who remain married, according to a new report from the University of Texas.

And its not good for those who remarry as they are still likely to suffer from illness.

In the same study men, which looked at 1,000 men and women over a two-year period, were found to be unaffected physically by divorce.

The researchers concluded that the emotional stress triggered a chain reaction of symptoms, including physical and mental problems which raised the risk of cardiovascular disease. Researchers believe the emotional stress of a marriage break-up, along with the

The results demonstrated that women with a marital loss have a higher risk of disease in late-midlife compared to continuously married women, whereas marital loss is not associated with men’s risk.

Women tend to value themselves more in terms of family relationships, whereas men value themselves primarily in terms of their occupation.’

The findings, published in the Journal of Marriage and the Family, showed that 11.6 per cent of divorced women and 10.7 per cent of remarried women had heart disease, compared to 8.7 per cent of those who were continuously married.

At the age of 51, 10.9 per cent of divorcees and 9.8 per cent of remarried women had heart disease, compared to 7.3 per cent of women who remained with their partner.

By the age of 60, 33 per cent of divorced women and 31 per cent of remarried women had cardiovascular problems, compared to just 22 per cent of those who were married and had not suffered a break-up.

Divorce rates have quadrupled since 1970 with around one in four marriages now breaking down.

About half of marriages of twentysomethings end in divorce with the highest rate being among 25 to 39-year-olds, according to the Office for National Statistics.

Amino acid improves heart function, says new study

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Strasbourg: The dietary supplement, L-arginine, has been shown to improve heart health ina new study fromthe Institut de Physiologie in France.

L-arginine, is an amino acid and a precursor of nitric oxide, which supports the arteries. Dysfunction of this pathway reduces blood flow and limits physical activity.

The researchers gave L-arginine to six patients with chronic heart failure for a period of six weeks. The patients were subjected to endurance exercise tests. It was found that those taking the amino acid had a significant decrease in their average heart rate. But their blood pressure and respiratory parameters remained unchanged.

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.

Job loss in 50s doubles risk of heart attack

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Yale: A new study from the US reveals that people who lose their jobs in their 50s double the risk of heart attack or stroke.

Researchers at Yale University looked at more than 4,000 US workers aged between 51 and 61, who were still in employment in 1992. They later reviewed the statistics for those who had heart attacks and strokes over the next ten years and how many had lost their jobs.

The authors said their findings held true even after adjusting for risk factors such as smoking, obesity, high blood pressure and diabetes.

Dr William Gallo, from the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, said: ‘We found that workers over 50 years of age who experience involuntary job loss are at increased risk for both subsequent heart attack and stroke relative to individuals who continue to work.

‘The magnitudes of association are substantial, with job-losers having over twice the risk compared with workers who remain employed.

‘For many individuals, late career job-loss is an exceptionally stressful experience with the potential for provoking numerous undesirable outcomes.’ The authors conclude that doctors should be aware of physical effects where the ‘true costs of unemployment exceed the obvious economic costs’.

Writing in Occupational and Environmental Medicine from the British Medical Journal, they said: ‘ Physicians who treat individuals who lose jobs as they approach retirement should therefore consider the loss of employment, with its associated anxiety.’

Cardiovascular disease costs UK economy £29 billion annually

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Oxford, Cardiovascular disease costs the UK economy £29 billion a year in healthcare expenditure and lost productivity, reveals research to be published in the medical magazine Heart.

The UK spends more of its healthcare budget on cardiovascular disease than any other country in the European Union, the figures show.

The research team from the Health Economics Research Centre at the University of Oxford base their calculations on all UK residents with diagnosed cardiovascular disease in 2004 and associated costs.

These included community health and social services, emergency care, hospital stays, informal care, and the impact on productivity from illness and premature death.

When all these factors were added up, the total costs to the UK economy of cardiovascular disease in 2004 came to £29 billion.

The largest component was healthcare, which accounted for 60% of the total. Lost productivity accounted for 23% and informal care cost 17%.

Cardiovascular disease and cost the NHS almost £16 billion in 2004, representing 21% of all healthcare expenditure. Private healthcare costs add almost £1.5 billion to the tally, representing 18% of overall UK healthcare costs.

These figures represent the highest proportion of healthcare expenditure on cardiovascular disease of any country in the European Union.

Hospital inpatient care was the most expensive component at almost £10 billion or nearly two thirds of the NHS bill for cardiovascular disease.. Drug costs amounted to almost £3 billion.

More than 69 million work days were lost to the disease in 2004, at a cost to the UK economy of almost £3 billion.

An accompanying editorial suggests that despite the falling rates of illness and death from cardiovascular disease, cost savings are likely to be cancelled out by the rising costs of treatment, the ageing of the population, and the threat to heart health posed by obesity and diabetes

Coffee not linked to heart disease in most people

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Madrid: Filtered coffee does not raise the risk of heart disease, a new study by scientists at the universidad Autonoma de Madrid has found.

The research project, which followed 128,000 men and women for as long as 20 years, showed drinking filtered coffee – not percolated or French-style brews – did not raise the risk of heart disease.

Heavy coffee drinkers did tend to smoke and drink alcohol more often and those two factors clearly do raise heart risk, the researchers report in the journal Circulation.

But another recent study from the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston has said that the association between coffee consumption and the risk of heart disease in small groups of people cannot be excluded. The study published last month in the Journal of the American Medical Association showed that those men and women with a ‘slow’ version of a particular liver enzyme gene had a higher risk of heart disease if they drank more coffee, compared to those with a fast-metabolising version. Liver enzymes metabolise coffee and many other compounds.

Other studies have shown a link with heart disease and copious drinking of French press coffee, made using a mesh filter instead of a paper drip filter, or percolated coffee.

Volunteers in both studies fill out periodic questionnaires about their diet, exercise and other health habits and undergo regular physical exams.

The researchers found more than half the women and 30 percent of men who drank six or more cups of coffee a day were also more likely to smoke cigarettes, drink alcohol and use aspirin. They were also less likely to drink tea, exercise or take vitamin supplements.

But once these factors were accounted for, there was no difference in heart attack risks between the very light and heavy coffee drinkers.

A study published last November found no link between coffee drinking and high blood pressure, but there was an apparent association with drinking caffeinated fizzy drinks.

Lower cholesterol vital to coronary health, says new US study

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Boston: People born with lower levels of “bad” LDL cholesterol as a result of a genetic variation are less likely to suffer coronary heart disease later in life, a new US study has revealed.

In addition, another study has shown that beta glucan, a substance found in porridge oats does lower levels of LDL.

Researchers, in a study published in The New England Journal of Medicine, analysed information from 12,000 subjects ages 45 to 64 who took part in an Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study (ARIC), which examined data from four communities in Mississippi, Minnesota, North Carolina and Maryland for 15 years.

They discovered that those with a genetic variation of a gene called PCSK9 had LDL levels to be about 40 mm/dL below average and were eight times less likely to develop coronary heart disease than those without the mutations. Subjects with genetic variations that produced a 20 mg/dL reduction in LDL compared to the average were two times less likely to develop heart disease.

The PCSK9 gene produces an enzyme that reduces the quantity of LDL receptors on the liver’s surface which are responsible for removing bad cholesterol from the blood. The genetic mutation reverses this increasing the number of LDL receptors, therefore removing more bad cholesterol from the blood. Ironically, statin drugs, although they can lower cholesterol, may increase the production of the PCSK9 enzyme.

The study says: “These data indicate that moderate lifelong reduction in the plasma level of LDL cholesterol is associated with a substantial reduction in the incidence of coronary events, even in populations with a high prevalence of non-lipid-related cardiovascular risk factors. “

In the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition another study confirms the effect of beta-glucan on lowering cholesterol.

Researchers examined the effects of a beta-glucan–enriched fruit juice on serum lipids and lipoproteins and on markers of cholesterol absorption and synthesis. In addition, they measured effects on lipid-soluble antioxidants.

Healthy subjects were divided into two groups. The 22 subjects in the placebo group consumed a fruit drink providing 5 grams rice starch per day. The 25 subjects in the treatment group received a fruit drink with beta-glucan from oats for five weeks.

Wine is good for the heart, says new study

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Boston: Drinking 14 glasses of wine or more a week gives you a healthier heart, according to researchers from the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.

A ten-year study of 4,400 men and women aged 65 and over discovered that the amount of alcohol consumed was linked to heart health.

Those who had between one and six drinks a week were 7 per cent less likely to have a problem that those who didn’t drink at all. For those who consumed seven to thirteen drink a week, the risk dropped by 20 per cent, and for those having 14 or more drinks the risk dropped by about 40 per cent.

The researchers said the results indicated that those who drank more had the lowest risk of coronary heart disease but warned that more research was needed.

The health benefits of wine have not been fully explored and it is not known whether it is the anti-oxidants or the blood-thinning effects of alcohol which are beneficial.

Big waists increase heart attack risk

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Atlanta: A big waist increases the risk of heart disease, the American College of Cardiology in Atlanta has been told.

It is not how fat you are but where the fat is, that indicates the risk of having a heart attack, according to the results of an research by Canadian scientists who analysed the waist sizes of 168,000 men and women worldwide.

They found that in men, the risk of heart disease increased by between 21 and 40 per cent for every 51/2in (14cm) extra they put on their waist size. For women, the same increase in heart disease risk occurred for every 53/4in (14.9cm) growth in waistline.

Excess fat around the middle, they say, is more harmful than weight gain on the legs and hips.

This is because fat cells carried-around the stomach are the most dangerous of all, pumping out chemicals that can damage the insulin system. Abnormal levels of these toxins can lead to high blood sugar and unhealthy cholesterol levels, increasing the risk of heat disease and diabetes.

Dr Jean-Pierre Despres, the director of cardiology research at University Laval in Quebec, said: ‘Your risk of having a heart attack has nothing to do with your body mass index.

‘After 20 years of research we’ve learned that it’s not how fat you are that determines your risk to obesity, but where the excess fat is located.’

He added: ‘You could be classed as normal weight but if you have a high proportion of tummy fat you are at increased risk.’

In line with their findings, men and women with a beer gut or apple shape are more likely to be jeopardising their health.

Those carrying the same amount of weight on the thighs and bottom – a pear shape – will be at a lesser risk. Dr Despres added: ‘This is the first time a study of this magnitude has been conducted worldwide in a primary care population.

‘The importance and the clinical significance of these results will stimulate additional studies that will aid us in identifying patients most at risk.’

The Body Mass Index (BMI) is calculated by dividing the person’s weight in kilograms by the square of their height in metres.

A BMI of between 25 and 30 is classed as ‘overweight’, while more than 30 is defined as being obese. The ideal body mass index is between 18.5 and 24.9.

Adult obesity levels in Britain have almost quadrupled in the last 25 years while the rate of child obesity has trebled in the past two decades.

Ten per cent of six-year-olds are obese, rising to 17 per cent in 15-year-olds.

Heart disease in Ireland halves in 15 years

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London: Deaths from coronary artery heart disease in Ireland have halved since the mid 1980s, finds research in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.

Almost half of the drop is attributable to lifestyle changes, especially smoking and diet, it suggests.The research team used a combination of published data on the use and effectiveness of specific treatments for heart disease and associated risk factors, such as smoking, cholesterol, high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, and a sedentary lifestyle.

Between 1985 and 2000, deaths from coronary artery disease in Ireland fell by 47% in those aged 25 to 84, resulting in almost 3800 fewer deaths in 2000 than in 1985.

Almost 44% of the drop-off was attributable to better, and more timely, treatment, including tackling heart failure and secondary prevention.

But just under half of the figure (48%) was attributable to sharp falls in smoking, which accounted for over 25%, and in cholesterol, which accounted for 30%. Falls in high blood pressure accounted for 6%.

Smoking rates have fallen more slowly in Ireland than they have in the UK and other developed countries, but have been given a boost by a ban on workplace smoking, which came into force in 2004.

Rises in rates of obesity, diabetes, and sedentary lifestyles offset these favourable trends by around 13% or 500 deaths. And the authors suggest that if these trends continue, they threaten to overturn the substantial health gains made.

Magic bullet will drain world health budgets

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Rotterdam:Treating everyone, or those at only moderate risk of cardiovascular disease, with the polypill would not save any money at all, even if the drug cost nothing to make, finds research in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.

The “magic bullet” could drain global health budgets, unless it is carefully targeted and very cheap to manufacture, suggest the authors.

The formulation has not been tested out on large numbers of people, and how the various constituents will interact is as yet unknown, say the authors.

But in theory, the polypill, which combines aspirin, a statin, three blood pressure lowering agents, and folic acid into one tablet, has the potential to slash the risk of coronary artery disease by 88% and stroke by 80% in those aged between 55 and 64.

To calculate potential costs of widespread treatment with the polypill, the authors looked at differing levels of risk of developing coronary artery disease in different age groups, and medical and treatment costs.

They used data from the US Framingham Heart Study, which involved over 5,000 people aged between 28 and 62, who were monitored for heart disease and stroke in two year periods for almost half a century.

And they also used data from the Framingham Offspring Study, which involved monitoring the children and spouses of those in the original study every four to eight years.

Even if the polypill cost nothing, it would not save anything at all if given to everyone, irrespective of their risks of developing cardiovascular disease, or if given to those only at moderate risk, say the authors.

Giving the polypill to everyone over the age of 60 would produce the greatest health gains, the authors say. It would prevent between 76 and 179 heart attacks, and between 11 to 33 strokes, per 1000 people in this age group.

But to be cost effective, the annual expense of the polypill would have to be no more than £208 (€302) for those aged 50 and no more than £282 (€410) for those aged 60 at high risk of coronary artery disease, say the authors.

And this cost would need to be around three times lower for those at lower risk, they add.

The authors point out that irrespective of its value, treatment with the polypill “implies the medicalisation of a large section of the population,” as well as the risk of exposing healthy people to the risk of side effects.

Impotence may signal heart disease

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Chicago: Impotence, which affects 50% of men over the age of 40, may be an early wraning of heart disease, says new research published in the journal of the Archives of Internal Medicine.

Scientists at the University of Chicago who carried out a study, said four out of ten men with impotence also had badly clogged-up veins and arteries which put them at higher risk of cardiac illness as well as being a cause of impotence. The results led the researchers to believe that impotence is a better indictor of heart disease than other risk factors.

Impotence is often caused by the clogging-up of arteries leading to the penis. These narrow blood vessels become blocked earlier than the wider arteries around the heart, giving prior warning of cardiac disease. The researchers examined the results of heart tests on 221 men – more than half of whom were impotent.

They found that 43 per cent of the impotent men were at high risk of heart disease. However, only 17 per cent of subjects who were not impotent had similarly poor test scores. Impotent men also fared worse in physical tests and their hearts were found to pump less blood.

Moderate exercise may delay congestive heart failure

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Boulder: A study, conducted by researchers at the University of Colorado at Boulder, indicates low-intensity exercise may significantly delay the onset of congestive heart failure ( CHF ).

According to Russell Moore of CU-Boulder, who led the study, lab rats carrying the genetic characteristics for spontaneously developing heart failure were shown to live significantly longer if they exercised moderately on a treadmill.
The exercise protocol extended the life expectancy of the rat study group by at least 10 percent to 15 percent.

“Assuming the results are applicable to humans, low-intensity exercise is likely to have benefits to humans in early stages of congestive heart failure,” he said.

The study was published in the American Journal of Physiology.

” Our study, coupled with several human studies conducted elsewhere, shows a definite trend indicating that moderate intensity exercise has a potential role in stemming the downward spiral in heart failure,” he said.

Moore said a unique feature of the CU-Boulder study was that the delay in the onset of CHF in the rats through moderate exercise was accomplished without reducing hypertension, or high blood pressure, in the animals. Most people in the early stages of development of heart failure also have hypertension, which is regularly treated to help improve the prognosis of CHF sufferers, said Moore.

Although several human studies in the last 10 to 20 years have shown that moderate exercise does not appear to harm CHF sufferers, the positive benefits of such exercise have not been found to be statistically significant, he said. Such studies are difficult to evaluate because participants often are taking a number of different medications, he said.

The intensity of exercise in the study was a crucial factor affecting longevity in the rats used in the study, said Moore. Early in the study, several of the rats that began exercising at nine months of age died after the locomotion speed was increased from 10 meters per minute to 17.5 meters per minute, he said. The speed was subsequently reduced to 14 meters per minute for the duration of the study, and no additional rat deaths occurred, he said.

” The bottom line is if the animals are exercised too hard, they will die,” he said. ” But when exercised moderately, in this case at barely more than a walk, the results were striking.”

According to the American Heart Association, about 65 million Americans are afflicted with hypertension and nearly five million suffer from CHF. In addition, about 75 percent of patients diagnosed with CHF die within eight years.

Low-intensity exercise for patients diagnosed early with CHF could preclude the use of expensive drug therapies and their side effects until later in life.

The rats used in the study were bred over generations to carry a genetic blueprint causing spontaneously hypertensive heart failure, or SHHF. Rats and humans share a large number of common genes and proteins, including many thought to be involved in heart disease.

Mediterranean diet reduces heart disease risk – new research

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Marseille: A new study by French doctors has revealed that eating a Mediterranean-style diet for three months can reduce the risk of heart disease by 15 percent.

The report published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition says that the heart-healthy effects of the Mediterranean diet, rich in whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts and fish and olive oil and light on red meat, are well documented.

But this study looked at the effects when 212 men and women at moderate risk for heart disease were put on a Mediterranean diet or a standard low-fat diet for three months. Participants on the Mediterranean diet were instructed to eat fish four times a week and red meat only once a week. Men were allowed two glasses of red wine daily, while women were limited to one.

Recommendations for people on the low-fat diet were to eat poultry rather than beef, pork and other mammal meats; eat fish two or three times a week; stay away from animal products rich in saturated fat; and eat fruit and vegetables, low-fat dairy products, and vegetable oils.

While study participants did not follow all diet recommendations, the researchers found, eating habits did change in both groups. Study participants took in fewer calories and consumed more proteins and carbohydrates and less total fat and saturated fat. Both groups showed a small but significant drop in body mass index.

Among people on the Mediterranean diet, total cholesterol dropped by 7.5 percent, and it fell by 4.5 percent in the low-fat diet group. Based on this reduction, the researchers write, overall cardiovascular risk fell 15 percent with the Mediterranean diet and 9 percent with the low fat diet.

Both diets significantly reduced cardiovascular disease risk factors to an overall comparable extent said the researchers at the Faculty of Medicine Timone in Marseille