Working Nights Associated With Cardiovascular Disease and Cancer

In a report in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, a study notes that women working rotating night shifts have a risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer.

The study conducted by an international team of researchers covered 74,862 US nurses and 22 years of data as basis for their study. They note that the longer the nurses work in rotating night shifts, the higher the increase in all-cause and CVD mortality. For the study, rotating shift work is defined as working at least three nights per month in addition to days or evenings in that month

Working nights disrupts the body's circadian system, which is an internal mechanism that schedules regular body activities based on a 24 hour period. This system, together with sleep, maintains the body's cardiovascular health and antitumor activity. Because of the nature of working nights, this activity directly impacts the circadian system and increases the risk of cancer and CVD, leading to higher mortality.

In 2007 the World Health Organization classified night shift work as a probable carcinogen due to circadian disruption.

Protein GDF-11 Reverse Aging of the Heart

Richard T. Lee, M.D., and Amy Wagers, PhD, Harvard Stem Cell Institute Principal Faculty members, have identified a protein that can restore the enlarged, weakened hearts of aging mice to the size and functional status of the hearts of healthy young mice.
Credit: B. D. Colen/Harvard University

Researchers at the Harvard Stem Cell Institute have discovered that the protein GDF-11 have a restoring effect on the aging process of the heart. The GDF-11 protein can restore enlarged, weakened hearts back to its young and healthy status as evidenced in their experiments with hearts of young mice.

Age related disease are harder to treat since there is little or no treatment available aside from constant monitoring and regulating the targeted function. One such disease that is age related is diastolic heart failure.

Diastolic heart failure is the decline of performance of one or both ventricles of the heart during its relaxed phase (diastole). During diastole, the heart is filled with incoming blood that is being returned from the body through the inferior vena cava (IVC) and superior vena cava (SVC) to the right atrium and from lungs through pulmonary veins to the left atrium.

In Diastolic heart failure, the ventricle does not fill properly with blood because of thick and rigid walls or that the ventricle cannot relax. Age is one of the common risk factors for the disease and there is no treatment for this except for therapy targeting the affected ventricle.

With the discovery of the effect of GDF-11 to the heart, age-related heart disease such as diastolic heart failure may one day be treated.

AHA News: Women's Awareness of Heart Disease On The Rise But Still Needs Improvement

According to a study by the American Heart Association, women's awareness of the risks of heart disease has doubled in the last fifteen years. But for minorities and younger women, that does not seem to be the case.

Heart disease is a growing concern among adults. In the United States, 18% of the adult population consider heart disease a major health problem. According to the American Heart Association, each year, around 785,000 in the US suffer their first heart attack.

The AHA's Go Red For Women campaign (now on its 10th year), encourages women to be aware of the risk for heart disease and provides tools to lead a heart healthy life. Go Red For Women has lots of ways to participate in helping all women make healthy choices.

American Heart Association Infographics on Heart Disease

The American Heart Association released a series of infographics to disseminate information about stroke and heart disease. The series focused on risks and statistics about the disease.

The two infographics posted are about the facts and risks of heart disease as illustrated by numbers and statistics. There is also has a PSA video on heart attack featuring Elizabeth Banks.

The mission of the American Heart Association is to build healthier lives, free of cardiovascular diseases and stroke. The infographics are part of AHA's drive to educate and raise awareness on the dangers of heart disease and the steps to lead a healthy life.

The release of these AHA infographics are designed towards a fast and easy to understand means of spreading information without overcomplicating it.

Infographics are becoming a popular way to spread and explain information, data, or facts about a particular topic. They are graphic visual representations of these. The process of creating infographics can be referred to as data visualization, information design, or information architecture.

Post Stroke Depression Increases Risk of Death By A Factor of Three

Stroke is the leading cause of death and disability for 2012 in the U.S. This is according to the American Heart Association.

The most widely recognized risk factors for stroke are diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, cigarette smoking, and lack of exercise. But these factors does not fully account for the excess stroke risk observed in the population. Drug and alcohol use are some of the factors that are not as documented.

There are also factors that affect the risk of stroke that cannot be controlled. These are age, sex, race, and family and medical history.

For people who suffered a stroke, the number of risk factors of suffering another stroke increase. One factor that is being studied is depression.

Depression results from the frustration of not being able to live normally after a stroke. The need for medical care, temporary paralysis, cognitive problems, and motor and speech impediments are some of the results of a stroke. This affects the patient as the treatment and therapy process is long and difficult. Depression sets in because of this.

Post-stroke depression (PSD) is considered the most frequent and important neuropsychiatric consequence of stroke.

Being Aware and Preventing Heart Disease: An Infographic From The American Heart Association

The American Heart Association's mission is to build healthier lives free of heart disease.

As the saying goes, An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. With medical advancements on cardiovascular care, nothing beats taking good care of the heart. Knowing the risk factors, the steps to preventing heart disease, as well as making an effort to follow these steps can greatly improve one's well-being and lead a healthy life.

This is the first of a series of infographics released by the American Heart Association to promote heart care awareness: What Are My Chances Of Getting Heart Disease - 3 Questions.

American Heart Association Names Top 10 Advances in Heart Disease and Stroke Research for 2012

Since 1996, the American Heart Association has been compiling a list of the years top 10 major advances in heart disease and stroke research. They recently released the top 10 advances in heart disease and stroke research for 2012.

The American Heart Association advocates healthy living to reduce disability and deaths caused by cardiovascular disease and stroke. They publish a standard for providing basic and advanced life support, including standards for proper performance of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).

Technological especially medical advances in heart disease and research has grown leaps and bounds. With this, progress in the care, treatment and prevention of cardiovascular disease has also improved.

From 1999 to 2009, the death rate from cardiovascular disease (CVD) went down by 33%. But despite the decline, CVD still takes the lives of more than 2,150 Americans each day, an average of 1 death every 40 seconds.

In the same period, the death rate caused by stroke went down 37% and the actual number of stroke deaths declined by 23%. Stroke is still the 4th leading cause of death in the United States and the 1st leading cause of disability.

The AHA recently released the top 10 advances in heart disease and stroke research for 2012. These are:

1. Extended CPR saves lives
2. Converting “non beating” heart cells into “beating” heart cells
3. Biopsied heart cells improved heart function and reduced scars
4. “Disconnecting” the kidneys might be the key to treating high blood pressure
5. Progress for children in transplant bridging and Kawasaki Disease
6. Why children and adolescents should “just say no” to sugary drinks
7. Global impact: ECHO screening for rheumatic heart disease
8. Devices for stroke
9. Ideal cardiovascular health practices lead to longer life, lower risk
10. Bypass surgery vs. drug-coated stents for diabetes patients

A more detailed overview of the topics are covered below.

Transcendental Meditation Increases Survival Rate in Heart Patients And Reduces Risk of Stroke and Heart Attack

New research show that heart disease patients who regularly practice transcendental meditation reduces the risk of death, heart attack, and stroke.

Meditation is a practice where the person produces a deep state of relaxation, tranquility, and calmness. It is done by focusing attention to a mental image, train of thought, calming word or phrase, or imagining oneself in a calming situation. Meditation also requires removing oneself from stress and distractions during the practice.

Canadian Scientists Discover Cause For High Levels of Bad Cholesterol (LDL)

Scientists have discovered the cause of high cholesterol in the body. With this discovery, it could lead to better prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease.

Cholesterol

Cholesterol is classified as a waxy steroid of fat. It is needed to build and maintain cell membranes, regulate what enters and exits the cell (membrane permeability) and modulate the "thickness" or viscosity of the cell (membrane fluidity).

Although cholesterol fulfill an important role in human health, high levels of cholesterol is harmful. A high cholesterol count may lead to stroke and heart disease. Cholesterol is also associated with atherosclerosis, a condition where the arteries start to harden making blood to flow through the heart and body difficult.

Using Extreme Cold To Treat Malfunctioning Heart Tissues

Cardiac arrhythmia is a condition where the heart beats in an irregular rhythm. It may beat too slow or too fast.

These episodes are generally harmless. People who experience an irregular heartbeat may suddenly feel flushed, have shortness of breath, or suddenly weak. There are times when arrhythmia may be dangerous when the heart because of its rhythm may not pump enough blood to the body which can damage the affected areas specially the heart and the brain.

The most common type of arrhythmia is atrial fibrillation. This is a rapid beating of the heart that is combined with poor blood flow. Patients who suffer atrial fibrillation may have symptoms such as palpitations, fainting, chest pain, or congestive heart failure.

Atrial fibrillation increases the risk of stroke up to seven times the average especially when coupled with other high risk factors such as high blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and stress). This condition is detected by taking the pulse or undergoing an electrocardiogram reading (ECG or EKG).

The goal for treating atrial fibrillation is to avoid circulatory shock and prevent a stroke. Circulatory shock is when the body undergoes low blood pressure, rapid heartbeat, and loss of consciousness. This is generally referred to simply as "shock".

Montreal technology uses cold to treat heart condition

A team of cardiologists from the Montreal Heart Institute (MHI) specializing in cardiac arrhythmias has used for the very first time in Canada, a technology developed in Montreal to treat a patient with atrial fibrillation. Recently licenced by Health Canada, this sophisticated device is a balloon inserted by catheter that uses extreme cold to burn malfunctioning heart tissue. This medical milestone is excellent news for hundreds of Canadians as one in 20 people will suffer from atrial fibrillation at some point in their lives.

On September 4 2012, Doctor Marc Dubuc and Doctor Peter Guerra, both cardiologists at MHI, performed the procedure in a 67-year-old female patient. The patient had been suffering from arrhythmia for a number of years and drug-based treatments had proved ineffective. The patient tolerated the procedure well and she was able to return to the comfort of her home barely 24 hours after the procedure.

Cardiovascular Mortality Risk In Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) Increases With Age

Sleep apnea is a disorder where the affected person experiences episodes where breathing stops or becomes shallow while sleeping. Apnea is the term for each pause in breathing. The apnea can vary from a few seconds to a few minutes.

AHI or Apnea-Hypopnea Index (AHI) is a measurement of how many times an apnea episode occurs in one hour. An AHI of 5 below is considered normal. AN AHI of 30 or above is categorized as severe since it would mean that on average, the patient stops breating every two minutes.

There are three forms of sleep apnea; central (CSA), obstructive (OSA), and complex or mixed sleep apnea (a combination of CSA and OSA).

Central sleep apnea occures when breating is interrupted because of lack of effort in breathing. Obstructive sleep apnea involves a physical blockage which causes the airflow to stop, snoring is usually a symptom of OSA.

The goal in treating sleep apnea is to keep the air passage open and allow the patient to breath easily while sleeping. For OSA, a CPAP device is used to assist in breathing. It is a tight fitting face mask that is attached to a machine that assists in breathing. CPAP stands for Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP).

OSA increases cardiovascular mortality in the elderly

Untreated severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular mortality in the elderly, and adequate treatment with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) may significantly reduce this risk, according to a new study from researchers in Spain.

"Although the link between OSA and cardiovascular mortality is well established in younger patients, evidence on this relationship in the elderly has been conflicting," said lead author Miguel Ángel Martínez-García, MD, of La Fe University and Polytechnic Hospital in Valencia, Spain. "In our study of 939 elderly patients, severe OSA not treated with CPAP was associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular mortality especially from stroke and heart failure, and CPAP treatment reduced this excess of cardiovascular mortality to levels similar to those seen in patients without OSA."

The findings were published online ahead of print publication in the American Thoracic Society's American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

Anti Blood Clot Medication Prasugrel Is as Safe as Clopidogrel With Long-term Treatment Of ACS

Arteriogram of a Healthy Heart
Credit: SPL / Photo Researchers, Inc.

When the heart is not getting enough blood, Acute Coronary Syndrome occurs. It is a heart condition that includes the slowing down of blood flow to the heart because of a blood clot (unstable angina). This can cause a heart attack.

A blood clot is an obstruction in the blood vessel that supplies blood to the heart and brain. These blood clots aside from causing a heart attack, can also cause a stroke.

A stroke is a brain condition where it doesn’t get enough oxygen because of a blood clot in the blood vessel. Because the brain does not get the oxygen it needs, brain function is impaired and permanent brain damage can occur. This is called an ischemic stroke.

Potential long-term benefit observed for first time in Acute Coronary Syndrome(ACS) patients

The first trial to study patients with acute coronary syndrome who do not undergo coronary stenting or bypass surgery found no significant difference between two anti-clotting drugs – prasugrel and clopidogrel – in preventing the first occurrence of death, heart attack or stroke, according to Duke University Medical Center cardiologists.

The study also showed no difference in serious bleeding complications.

At the same time, the Duke researchers observed an unexpected reduction in heart attack, stroke and death among patients treated with prasurgrel beyond one year of treatment. The researchers say this potential time-dependent benefit requires further exploration.

The results were presented by the Duke researchers at the European Society of Cardiology Scientific Sessions in Munich, Germany today, and published online in the New England Journal of Medicine.

"If you look at this study as a comparison of two drugs, it doesn't tell the whole story," says E. Magnus Ohman, M.D., a professor of medicine at Duke and chairman of the TRILOGY ACS study. "This is a unique patient population that has never before been studied."

Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) refer to a group of conditions that include heart attacks and chest pain caused by clogged coronary arteries. To date, most trials evaluating anti-clotting drugs for ACS patients have focused on patients who undergo revascularization procedures such as stent implantation with percutaneous coronary intervention and coronary artery bypass surgery to restore blood flow.

Up to 60 percent of ACS patients worldwide undergo revascularization procedures according to published data. The remaining 40 percent are managed solely with drug therapy. These patients are at higher risk for repeated cardiovascular-related events, such as heart attack, stroke, and death.

"Optimizing medical therapy for these patients is extremely important," Ohman says.

Prasugrel and clopidogrel are members of the thienopyridine class of adenosine diphosphate receptor inhibitors that prevent the formation of blood clots in arteries by binding to specific receptors and inhibiting the clumping of platelets.

Blood Type May Be A Factor In Coronary Heart Disease

Blood Type is the classification of blood based on the presence or absence of two antigens on the surface of the Red Blood Cell (RBC). An antigen is any substance that causes the immune system to produce antibodies against it.

The blood type of a person is genetic. It is inherited from the blood type of the parents.

Blood is grouped according to the ABO blood typing system. This is based on the A antigen and the B antigen.

There are four major blood types:

• Type A – has only the A antigen on red cells (and B antibody in the plasma)
• Type B – has only the B antigen on red cells (and A antibody in the plasma)
• Type AB – has both A and B antigens on red cells (but neither A nor B antibody in the plasma)
• Type O – has neither A nor B antigens on red cells (but both A and B antibody are in the plasma)

• The universal red cell donor has Type O negative blood type.
• The universal plasma donor has Type AB positive blood type.

There is also a third antigen which is the Rh factor. It also can be present or absent from the blood. If it is present, the blood type is positive (+). If the Rh factor is absent, the blood type is negative (-) Rh negative blood is given to Rh-negative patients, and Rh positive blood or Rh negative blood may be given to Rh positive patients.

Blood type may influence heart disease risk

People with blood type A, B, or AB had a higher risk for coronary heart disease when compared to those with blood type O, according to new research published in Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology, an American Heart Association journal.

People in this study with the rarest blood type — AB, found in about 7 percent of the U.S. population — had the highest increased heart disease risk at 23 percent. Those with type B had an 11 percent increased risk, and those with type A had a 5 percent increased risk. About 43 percent of Americans have type O blood.

"While people cannot change their blood type, our findings may help physicians better understand who is at risk for developing heart disease," said Lu Qi, M.D., Ph.D., the study's senior author and an assistant professor in the Department of Nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston.

Knowing your blood type can be an important part of staying healthy and avoiding heart disease, Qi said. "It's good to know your blood type the same way you should know your cholesterol or blood pressure numbers," he said. "If you know you're at higher risk, you can reduce the risk by adopting a healthier lifestyle, such as eating right, exercising and not smoking."

MRI and Magnetic Particles Track Cells In the Body And Monitor Heart Treatments

MRI stands for magnetic resonance imaging. It allows imaging of the interior of the body without using x-rays or other types of ionizing radiation. An MRI scan is capable of showing fine detail of different tissues.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is an imaging application mostly for medical purposes. MRI uses powerful magnets and radio waves to construct an internal image of the target. It is also known as a Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Imaging (NMRO) or Magnetic Resonance Tomography (MRT).

Unlike an X-Ray where ionizing radiation is bombarded to create an image, a magnetic field is utilized to build and visualize the internal structures in detail.

This is done by having the target or subject lie down within a large powerful magnet. The magnet's magnetic field is used to align the magnetic properties (magnetization) of some atomic nuclei in the body. Radio frequency fields are then used to alter the alignment of this magnetization. The affected nuclei then produces a rotating magnetic field that is detectable by the scanner which then uses the data to form an image.

The magnetic field can be adjusted to construct 2 dimensional or 3 dimensional images. MRI is a handy tool to safely image a human brain since the brain may be sensitive to other imaging techniques. Aside from constructing a brain image, it can also pick up neural activity within the brain.

Tiny magnetic particles may help assess heart treatments

Tiny magnetic particles may help doctors track cells in the body to better determine if treatments work, according to research reported in Circulation: Cardiovascular Imaging, an American Heart Association journal.

Researchers showed that injecting immune cells containing magnetic particles into the bloodstream was safe and did not interfere with cell function. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans can then track the cells moving through the body.

"This could change how we assess new treatments affecting inflammation and the outcome of a heart attack or heart failure," said Jennifer Richards, M.D., lead author and vascular surgeon at the University of Edinburgh's Centre for Cardiovascular Science in Scotland.

Link Between Low DHEA Levels and Cardiovascular Disease

Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) is a hormone secreted by the adrenal gland. It is produced naturally by the body making it an endogenous hormone. It is used by the body in converting it to another hormone called androstenedione. Androstenedione is then changed into the major male and female hormones.

Studies suggest that it has a positive effect in the treatment of adrenal insufficiency, depression, induction of labor, and systemic lupus erythematosus.

DHEA is being studied if it is a factor in slowing or reversing aging, improving thinking skills in older people, and slowing the progress of Alzheimer’s disease. To date, the findings are still inconclusive and in some (such as in Alzheimer's) show no concrete positive benefit.

DHEA is banned by some sports organizations for use in active competition since it increases muscle mass, strength, and energy.

Regular exercise increases DHEA production in the body. There are also findings suggesting that reducing the intake of calories also increases the production of DHEA.

Chemicals found in wild yam and soy can be used to produce DHEA, but only in laboratory conditions. Eating these food products does not increase production of this hormone in the human body.

Low steroid levels linked to increased risk of cardiovascular disease

Low levels of a naturally occurring steroid are associated with an increased risk of heart and blood-vessel disease in elderly men, a new study finds. The results will be presented Saturday at The Endocrine Society's 94th Annual Meeting in Houston.

The steroid in question is dehydroepiandrosterone, or DHEA, which is secreted by the adrenal gland and circulates in blood mainly in a sulfated form, DHEA-S. In other tissues, DHEA-S is converted into the sex hormones testosterone and estrogen.

Previous, smaller studies found an association between low DHEA-S levels and heart and blood-vessel, or cardiovascular, disease, although their results were inconclusive. At this time, while we know that DHEA production decreases with age, the exact health effects of its decline are unclear.

Antioxidant Glutathione Peroxidase (GPx) Reduce Risk of Cardiovascular Disease

Glutathione peroxidase (GPx) is an enzyme that protects the body from oxidative damage from free radicals. Antioxidants, like GPx, are enzymes and nutrients that block some of the damage caused by free radicals. These free radicals are what causes the aging process, some cancers (according to studies), cardiovascular diseases, and athritis.

GPx, which contains selenium, protects the body against oxidative stress through scavenging and inactivating hydrogen and lipid peroxides. GPx should not be confused with glutathione (GSH).

There are eight members of the GPx family that have been identified in humans: GPx1, GPx2, GPx3, GPx4, GPx5, Gpx6, GPx7, and GPx8. Of the eight, GPx1 is the most abundant in the human body.

Glutathione peroxidase(GPx) is a natural antioxidant and can be found in almost all fruits and vegetables.

U of M researchers find natural antioxidant can protect against cardiovascular disease

University of Minnesota Medical School researchers have collaborated with the School of Public Health and discovered an enzyme that, when found at high levels and alongside low levels of HDL (good cholesterol), can dramatically reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

The enzyme – glutathione peroxidase, or GPx3 – is a natural antioxidant that helps protect organisms from oxidant injury and helps the body naturally repair itself. Researchers have found that patients with high levels of good cholesterol, the GPx3 enzyme does not make a significant difference. However, those patients with low levels of good cholesterol, the GPx3 enzyme could potentially be a big benefit. The enzyme's link to cardiovascular disease may also help determine cardiovascular risk in patients with low levels of good cholesterol and low levels of the protective GPx3.