http://medicalxpress.com/ en-us Medical Xpress internet news portal provides the latest news on Health and Medicine. A systematic review published today in The Cochrane Library finds that in well-nourished adults current evidence does not support selenium for preventing heart disease. The review suggests that taking selenium supplements does not reduce a person's risk of developing heart disease, although most evidence is currently limited to healthy American adults. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-01-current-evidence-selenium-heart-disease.html Health Wed, 30 Jan 2013 19:00:05 EST news278789946 People who are "apple-shaped"—with fat more concentrated around the abdomen—have long been considered more at risk for conditions such as heart disease and diabetes than those who are "pear-shaped" and carry weight more in the buttocks, hips and thighs. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-01-deflates-notion-pear-shaped-bodies-healthy.html Health Thu, 10 Jan 2013 16:38:41 EST news277058308 (HealthDay)—Meta-analyses have identified an additional 16 loci with genome-wide significance for coronary artery disease (CAD), according to research presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Human Genetics, held from Nov. 6 to 10 in San Francisco. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-11-ashg-additional-loci-idd-coronary.html Genetics Fri, 09 Nov 2012 09:43:55 EST news271676627 About 10.6% of the inherited genetic risk for developing coronary artery disease (CAD) can be explained by specific DNA variations, according to research reported today at the American Society of Human Genetics 2012 meeting. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-11-dna-variants-percent-inherited-genetic.html Genetics Thu, 08 Nov 2012 13:30:01 EST news271583304 If you look old, your heart may feel old, according to research presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2012. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-11-telltale-visible-aging-heart-disease.html Cardiology Tue, 06 Nov 2012 11:00:01 EST news271413428 Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS-SOL)—which will be presented at the American Heart Association Annual Meeting in Los Angeles on Nov. 5 and published in the Nov. 7 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA)—finds heart disease risk factors are widespread among Hispanic/Latino adults in the United States. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-11-power-epidemiology-underscore-health-disparities.html Cardiology Tue, 06 Nov 2012 09:35:44 EST news271416874 In a new theoretical study, 23andMe, the personal genetics company, developed a mathematical model which shows that family history and genetic tests offer different strengths. The study results suggest that both family history and genetics are best used in combination to improve disease risk prediction. The full results of the study have now been published online in the journal PLOS Genetics. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-10-family-history-genetic-complex-disease.html Genetics Mon, 15 Oct 2012 16:39:42 EST news269537963 New research appearing online today in Blood, the journal of the American Society of Hematology (ASH), suggests that long-term survivors of hematopoietic cell transplants (HCT) are at an increased risk of developing heart disease risk factors such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol when compared to the general population. These risk factors, combined with exposure to pre-HCT therapy, contribute to a noticeably increased risk of heart disease over time. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-10-stem-cell-transplant-survivors-heart.html Cardiology Wed, 03 Oct 2012 12:33:06 EST news268486362 A new multi-national survey reveals the extent of misconceptions about when is the right time to start taking action to prevent cardiovascular disease (CVD). In a four-country survey sample of 4,000 adults, 49 per cent answered age 30 years or older when asked at what age they believe people should start to take action about their heart health to prevent conditions such as heart disease and stroke. The fact is that CVD can affect people of all ages and population groups, and the risk begins early in life through unhealthy diets, lack of physical activity and exposure to tobacco. On World Heart Day, 29th September, the World Heart Federation is calling for people – specifically mothers who are gatekeepers to the home – to take action now to protect their own heart health, as well as that of their children and families to safeguard future generations. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-09-heart-health-earlier.html Cardiology Mon, 24 Sep 2012 10:26:12 EST news267701163 People who cooked with a blend of sesame and rice bran oils saw a significant drop in blood pressure and improved cholesterol levels, according to new research presented at the American Heart Association's High Blood Pressure Research 2012 Scientific Sessions. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-09-sesame-rice-bran-oil-lowers.html Cardiology Wed, 19 Sep 2012 16:00:05 EST news267289062 Obesity is a major contributor to heart disease that substantially hinders the disease's proper diagnosis and treatment, says a cardiologist researching the impact of obesity and weight loss on the heart. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-09-obesity-major-contributor-heart-disease.html Overweight and Obesity Tue, 18 Sep 2012 11:02:08 EST news267184920 As a college student, you may be happy simply not to have gained the "Freshman 15." But a University of Illinois study shows that as little as 1.5 pounds per year is enough to raise blood pressure in that age group, and the effect was worse for young women. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-09-small-weight-gains-blood-pressure.html Health Thu, 06 Sep 2012 16:38:28 EST news266168299 Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as heart disease, cancer and diabetes are no longer just a problem in wealthy nations – the rate of NCDs in low-to-middle income countries are increasing faster than in developed countries. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-08-non-communicable-diseases-devastating-global-impact.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Thu, 30 Aug 2012 09:26:32 EST news265537585 A protein known as galectin-3 can identify people at higher risk of heart failure, according to new research supported by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), part of the National Institutes of Health. This research is based on work from the NHLBI's Framingham Heart Study, which began in 1948 and has been the leading source of research findings about heart disease risk factors. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-08-protein-linked-heart-failure-death.html Cardiology Wed, 29 Aug 2012 15:30:01 EST news265459666 Patients suffering from chronic kidney disease could be at as high a risk of coronary heart disease as patients who have previously had a heart attack, according to an article published Online First in the Lancet. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-06-chronic-kidney-disease-patients-similar.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Mon, 18 Jun 2012 18:30:01 EST news259252196 Awareness of the risks of heart disease and signs of a heart attack vary greatly among women of different racial and ethnic groups and ages. New data that clearly identify these disparities in heart health awareness are presented in an article in Journal of Women's Health, a peer-reviewed publication from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers. The article is available free on the Journal of Women's Health website. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-06-racial-ethnic-disparities-awareness-heart.html Cardiology Wed, 06 Jun 2012 10:48:15 EST news258198485 Special echocardiograms show promise for early detection of a potentially deadly complication in rheumatoid arthritis: heart disease, Mayo Clinic research shows. The findings were being presented at The European League Against Rheumatism annual meeting in Berlin. Rheumatoid arthritis patients are at higher risk of cardiovascular disease and it is important to take steps to intervene, but the risk assessment tools physicians commonly use often underestimate the danger. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-06-ultrasounds-heart-disease-early-rheumatoid.html Arthritis & Rheumatism Wed, 06 Jun 2012 03:42:45 EST news258172938 Heart disease risk assessment tools commonly used by physicians often underestimate the cardiovascular disease danger faced by rheumatoid arthritis patients, a Mayo Clinic study has found. Inflammation plays a key role in putting those with rheumatoid arthritis in greater jeopardy for heart disease, yet many cardiovascular disease risk assessment methods do not factor it in, the researchers note. More work is needed to figure out what drives heart disease in rheumatoid arthritis patients, and more accurate tools to assess that risk should be developed, the authors say. The study is published online in the American Journal of Cardiology. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-05-standard-heart-disease-tools-underrate.html Cardiology Mon, 21 May 2012 17:50:57 EST news256841426 (AP) -- Half the nation's overweight teens have unhealthy blood pressure, cholesterol or blood sugar levels that put them at risk for future heart attacks and other cardiac problems, new federal research says. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-05-cdc-overweight-teens-heart.html Pediatrics Mon, 21 May 2012 03:46:57 EST news256790803 A simple test for heart disease risk can go a long way toward determining the long-term prognosis for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, according to UC Irvine researchers. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-05-heart-disease-long-term-copd-fate.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Wed, 02 May 2012 12:20:11 EST news255176474 Despite popular belief, gum disease hasn't been proven to cause atherosclerotic heart disease or stroke, and treating gum disease hasn't been proven to prevent heart disease or stroke, according to a new scientific statement published in Circulation, an American Heart Association journal. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-04-proof-gum-disease-heart-statement.html Cardiology Wed, 18 Apr 2012 16:00:04 EST news253980465 Intensive community-based lifestyle interventions tailored to individuals and focused on psychological health can significantly reduce multiple risk factors for heart disease in low-income and minority women, according to research presented today at the American College of Cardiology's 61st Annual Scientific Session. The Scientific Session, the premier cardiovascular medical meeting, brings cardiovascular professionals together to further advances in the field. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-03-community-based-psychological-heart-health.html Cardiology Mon, 26 Mar 2012 11:20:01 EST news251975710 Simple screening implemented in obstetrics and gynecology (OB/GYN) clinics may identify previously undetected heart disease risk among women and has the potential to greatly increase education about prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease in female patients, according to research presented today at the American College of Cardiology's 61st Annual Scientific Session. The Scientific Session, the premier cardiovascular medical meeting, brings cardiovascular professionals together to further advances in the field. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-03-obgyn-screening-heart-disease.html Cardiology Mon, 26 Mar 2012 10:12:36 EST news251975548 According to new research from Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH), a state's level of wealth or poverty is linked with levels of cardiovascular inflammation in women. Cardiovascular inflammation is a key risk factor for heart disease. This research, led by Cheryl R. Clark, MD, ScD, the director of health equity research and intervention at the Center for Community Health and Health Equity at BWH was published March 20 in the online edition of BMC Public Health. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-03-state-wealth-affects-women-heart.html Cardiology Tue, 20 Mar 2012 12:31:44 EST news251465482 Electronic medical records provide new opportunities to monitor and improve patients’ health. New research released online in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine shows that body mass index (BMI) data, commonly available in electronic medical records, can accurately identify adults between 30 and 74 years-old at risk for cardiovascular (heart) disease, the leading cause of death in the U.S. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-03-simple-common-bmi-e-records-patients.html Health Tue, 13 Mar 2012 09:44:13 EST news250850639 A comprehensive study in this week's PLoS Medicine shows levels of the amino acid, homocysteine, have no meaningful effect on the risk of developing coronary heart disease, closing the door on the previously suggested benefits of lowering homocysteine with folate acid once and for all. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-02-high-blood-homocysteine-linked-coronary.html Cardiology Tue, 21 Feb 2012 17:00:08 EST news249063402 In a large analysis of men participating in a prostate drug trial, researchers at the Duke Cancer Institute found a significant correlation between coronary artery disease and prostate cancer, suggesting the two conditions may have shared causes. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-02-heart-disease-factor-prostate-cancer.html Cancer Wed, 08 Feb 2012 11:03:10 EST news247921373 Heart disease is still the No. 1 killer of women, but 80 percent of heart disease is preventable. Although the majority of heart attacks occur in the ten years after menopause, the disease process starts much earlier. If a woman can keep her risks for cardiac disease low before the age of 50, then there is a good chance she can avoid heart disease. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-02-heart-disease-women.html Health Fri, 03 Feb 2012 08:10:41 EST news247479034 A new study in today's New England Journal of Medicine reports that while an individual's risk of heart disease may be low in the next five or 10 years, the lifetime risk could still be very high, findings that could have implications for both clinical practice and public health policy. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-01-middle-age-factors-greater-lifetime-heart.html Health Wed, 25 Jan 2012 17:00:03 EST news246710304 Eating food fried in olive or sunflower oil is not linked to heart disease or premature death, finds a paper published in the British Medical Journal today. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-01-food-fried-olive-sunflower-oil.html Health Tue, 24 Jan 2012 18:30:01 EST news246643711