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Thursday, May 28, 2009
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Young at Heart at Risk
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Today's youth who are struggling with obesity or diabetes may be at serious
risk later in life. Recent studies show that youngsters who struggle with
such issues may be in store for serious hardening of arteries and heart
disease.
A Forbes health article said, "The walls of these carotid arteries, which
carry blood to the brain, showed a thickening and stiffness known to
increase the risk of future strokes, heart attacks and other cardiovascular
problems, according to a report to be published in the June 9 issue of
*Circulatio. *Dr. Elaine Urbina, director of preventive cardiology at Cincinnati
Children's Hospital Medical Center, associate professor of pediatrics at the
University of Cincinnati and lead author of the report. "This could be the
first generation of Americans that has a shorter life expectancy than its
parents," she said."
The plaque built up in arteries is typically what heart scans look to find
and detect early on, usually physicians recommends high risk patients over
the age of 35 to get yearly scans. But with studies showing the potential
for young children to be adversely affected it may be a beneficial idea to
get high risk kids checked as well.
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Thursday, May 28, 2009
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Healthy Heart Stems to your Gum?
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A genetic link between gum disease and heart disease has recently been
investigated by researchers in Germany. Periodontitis has always been known
to have links to heart disease, but the reason why has puzzled researchers
and physicians for years. But now this study claims to know the genetic
link.
A BBC News report, "Researchers have shown similarities between the bacteria
found in the oral cavity and those in coronary plaques and both diseases are
characterised by an imbalanced immune reaction and chronic inflammation. One
theory is that the bacteria involved in gum disease trigger a low grade
inflammatory response throughout the body, prompting changes in the arteries
leading to strokes and heart attacks"
Both coronary artery disease and gum disease seem to have the same risk
factors: smoking, diabetes and obesity according the BBC Report, and now
with this link physicians are hoping they can learn how to aid in prevention
and treatment for both diseases.
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Thursday, May 28, 2009
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Diabetes Heart Ailments may be Reduced
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A recent study says that closer control on blood sugar levels in diabetes
patients may reduce the risks of developing heart disease. The research
shows that patients with Type 2 diabetes who suffer from high levels of
glucose, were found to have lowered their heart disease rates by nearly 17%
when glucose levels were decreased. Granted this is not for all diabetes
patients, as many are older more frail patients who lack the health to make
such lifestyle shifts to lower their glucose.
BBC News said, "The current guidance in the UK for the 2.5m with the disease
is to keep blood sugar levels at about the 7% mark. But the study found
extra benefits for those who kept the levels closer to the 4% to 5% mark
that is common for healthy people. As well as the reduction in heart
attacks, there was a 15% fall in heart disease when blood sugar levels were
kept to 6.6% on average"
Researchers say the findings are still inconclusive, however they feel the
evidence does show positive progress towards understanding the dangers and
treatments for high glucose levels.
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Thursday, May 21, 2009
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Heart Disease and Depression
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An international study is saying that there may be a genetic link between
heart disease and depression, and why patients with heart disease are likely
to develop depression symptoms. Alongside the genetic issues found, heart
disease also has the ability to adversely impact quality of life and
lifestyle, which can induce depressive qualities.
The Times of India said of the study, "In the study involving 977 heart
patients, the researchers looked at 59 different candidate genes because of
their relevance to a biological pathway of interest or their prior
association with depression in medical literature. They discovered that
genetic variations involving endothelial dysfunction - a hallmark for
vascular diseases, such as atherosclerosis - and platelet aggregation appear
to contribute to depressive symptoms."
In the past studies have shown 15 to 20 percent of heart disease patients
suffer from depression, also most of them had just recently experienced a
negative and serious cardiac issue.
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Thursday, May 21, 2009
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The Obesity Issue
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Obesity is a leading cause for heart disease and cardiovascular problems; it
has been a clear link to many serious health issues. But now researchers are
studying how obese people deal with heart disease. Doctors say that obese
people are more inclined to get better faster, by losing weight and visiting
physicians and getting tests done more frequently to prevent and treat heart
problems.
Forbes said, "Obesity is a major problem that contributes significantly to
increased risk of heart disease and mortality," Lavie said. "But once you
get high blood pressure, blocked heart arteries and peripheral arterial
disease, the obese patients do better than the lean patients. The obesity
paradox has been written about for years, but still many doctors are not
aware of it."The patients with heart disease who do the best are the obese
who lose weight."
Also doctors say that people with more weight have more reserves to fight
off diseases. Many of these people wouldn't have developed heart disease in
the first place if it wasn't for their excess weight and obesity, but since
they do have it, there are positive sides to treating their disease.
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Monday, May 18, 2009
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Heart Health
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Meat lovers beware. Recent studies show negative affects of regular meat
consumption and heart disease. There has long been debate about the long
term affects of meat consumption, but for many people not eating meat is
quite the difficult feat regardless of it's side effects. Physicians
recommend that people only eat 1 hamburger a week or rather a few pieces of
meat/steak every couple of days.
According to the New York Times, "The study found that, other things being
equal, the men and women who consumed the most red and processed meat were
likely to die sooner, especially from one of our two leading killers, heart
disease and cancer, than people who consumed much smaller amounts of these
foods. But the number of excess deaths that could be attributed to high meat
consumption is quite large given the size of the American population."
It seems as though we can now add meat-lovers to the high risk candidates
that are recommended to have yearly heart scans to check up on their heart
and artery health.
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Friday, May 15, 2009
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Colon Cancer Test
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A new gene test is said to predict whether certain forms of colon cancer are
likely to return in former patients. A large number of colon cancer
patients have the cancer removed via chemotherapy, but often times there may
a chance of round two in the future. This would shed great light onto the
prevention and early detection of cancer coupled with virtual colonoscopy
scans.
According to Reuters, "Molecular diagnostics company Genomic Health Inc said
last month that a pivotal trial of its OncoType DX colon cancer assay showed
that it could predict cancer recurrence risk but did not meet a secondary
goal of predicting a patient's response to standard chemotherapy after
surgery."
The test may be available and FDA approved by 2010 researchers say, and the
findings will be made available at a conference soon.
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Thursday, May 14, 2009
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Another "No" Means Another Blow
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On Tuesday, Medicare and Medicaid went to revisit their former decision about
not paying for non-invasive virtual colonoscopy scans. But the verdict has
come in and it seems to stand still as a "No". The healthcare organizations
claim that there is not insufficient evidence about the benefits of virtual
scans preventing colon cancer as opposed to traditional invasive
methods. There have been mixed feelings amongst the medical industry, some physicians are
in favor of the decision while others are staunch advocates of the traditional technique.
Forbes said this of the recent stir, "Supporters of the procedure weren't pleased
by the move. Dr. J. Leonard Lichtenfeld, deputy chief medical officer for
the American Cancer Society, believes that a less-invasive method such as
virtual colonoscopy might encourage more Americans to get screened for colon
cancer the country's second-leading cancer killers."
Many elements were taken into consideration when the decision was made: from
price of procedures, radiation effects, time, and post-care treatment. Industry observers however say this may not adversely affect the colonography industry, as many people nationwide are still advocates of virtual scans and early detection.
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Thursday, May 14, 2009
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Get your Dose of Vitamin D
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A recent study has shown that vitamin D may be linked to increased heart
disease among the elderly. Lack of sunlight has often been linked to
causing male fertility issues, and many researchers and doctors urge men and
women to utilize the outdoors and sun in a healthy fashion: using sunscreen
whilst also doing things like sport and working out in the sun.
The Irish Health said, "According to researchers from the University of
Warwick in the UK, vitamin D deficiency may have a link with metabolic
syndrome - a group of conditions including obesity, high blood pressure.
abnormal cholesterol levels and resistance to insulin, which combine to
increase the risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes. In a study of more
than 3,200 people aged 50-70 years, 94% had a vitamin D deficiency and 42%
also had metabolic syndrome. The researchers say that more research is
needed to establish why this is."
Similarly vitamin D has long been known to help bone health as well. Many
elderly people fail to go outside for extended periods of time which is why
this link has been made.
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Thursday, May 14, 2009
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Virtual Colonoscopies In the Headlines
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As the government and Medicare have begun to scale back budgetary costs,
they have virtually removed all allocated health-care benefits of virtual
colonoscopies. The notion of Medicare covering the costs of procedures is
still being wildly debated. Likewise, the scanner owners and developers
like General Electric (GE) are finding it hard to sell equipment as well,
which has also negatively impacted the industry.
The Wall Street Journal said, "The key question is whether providing these
so-called virtual colonoscopies will get more Americans checked for
colorectal cancer or its precursors, thereby helping them dodge a major
killer. Advocates, including the American Cancer Society, feel it will,
although the agency that runs Medicare issued a proposed decision in
February saying it wouldn't cover the tests. The Centers for Medicare &
Medicaid Services, or CMS, said there wasn't enough evidence to show these
tests were an appropriate screening tool. A final decision on the matter is
expected Tuesday"
Regardless of your tactics for screening, the idea of getting checked for
colorectal cancer is pertitent to your health. Thousands fall victim to
colon cancer annually, while doctors still claim it is one of the most
treatable cancers if caught early enough.
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