People who have long-term raised blood pressure have an increased risk of aortic valve disease (AVD) – problems with the valve that controls how blood is pumped from the left ventricle of the heart out into the main artery, the aorta. In a study of 5.4 million adults in the UK, published in the European […]
Category: Cardiology
Death rates from stroke are declining overall in Europe, but are levelling off or increasing in some countries
New research, published in the European Heart Journal [1], has shown deaths from conditions that affect the blood supply to the brain, such as stroke, are declining overall in Europe but that in some countries the decline is levelling off or death rates are even increasing. Cerebrovascular disease includes strokes, mini-strokes, and narrowing, blockage or […]
Individual access to genomic disease risk factors has a beneficial impact on lifestyles
Milan, Italy: Giving personal genomic information to individuals can have a major, long-term effect on their lifestyle, researchers have found. The Finnish GeneRISK study, providing information on the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) based on their genome and traditional risk factors to 7,328 people inspired changes for the better in areas such as weight loss […]
Risk of dementia is increased in 50-year-olds with blood pressure below the current threshold for hypertension
New findings from the long-running Whitehall II study of over 10,000 civil servants has found 50-year-olds who had blood pressure that was higher than normal but still below the threshold commonly used when deciding to treat the condition, were at increased risk of developing dementia in later life. This increased risk was seen even when […]
Study of nearly 300,000 people challenges the ‘obesity paradox’
The idea that it might be possible to be overweight or obese but not at increased risk of heart disease, otherwise known as the “obesity paradox”, has been challenged by a study of nearly 300,000 people published in in the European Heart Journal [1]. This latest research shows that the risk of heart and blood […]
Survivors of childhood cancer are at great risk of heart problems in adulthood
Survivors of childhood cancer are at increased risk of suffering prematurely from cardiovascular disease in adulthood, according to a study published in the European Heart Journal [1]. In the first study to investigate the long-term health of childhood cancer survivors by means of systematic and comprehensive clinical evaluation of their health in comparison to the […]
Shorter time between first medical contact to restoring blood flow in heart attack patients is linked to saving more lives: experts call for immediate action
Heart experts are calling for immediate action following new research that shows every minute counts for patients who suffer the most severe type of heart attack. The study shows numbers of deaths rise steadily and rapidly the longer the time between patients’ first contact with a medical professional and when they are treated in hospital […]
Blood-thinning drugs appear to protect against dementia as well as stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation
Blood-thinning drugs not only reduce the risk of stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) but are also associated with a significant reduction in the risk of dementia, according to new research published in the European Heart Journal [1]. Among 444,106 patients with atrial fibrillation (an abnormal heart rhythm), those who were taking anticoagulant drugs […]
E-cigarettes linked to increased arterial stiffness, blood pressure and heart rate in humans
Milan, Italy: New research has shown for the first time that e-cigarettes with nicotine cause a stiffening of the arteries in humans. This has important implications for the use of e-cigarettes, as arterial stiffness is associated with an increased risk of heart attacks and strokes in later life. Presenting the research at the European Respiratory […]
Researchers identify a common genetic variant linked to muscle pains in statin users
People who have been prescribed statins to lower their cholesterol levels sometimes complain of muscle aches and pains and therefore stop taking their medication in the belief that it is causing their symptoms. This puts them at higher risk of developing diseases of the heart and blood vessels which the statins had been prescribed to […]