http://medicalxpress.com/ en-us Medical Xpress internet news portal provides the latest news on Health and Medicine. Among deployed U.S. service members who died of combat or unintentional injuries between 2001-2011 and underwent autopsies, the prevalence of coronary atherosclerosis was 8.5 percent, with factors associated with a higher prevalence of the disease including older age, lower educational level and prior diagnoses of dyslipidemia, hypertension, and obesity, according to a study in the December 26 issue of JAMA. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-12-autopsy-based-prevalence-atherosclerosis-members.html Cardiology Tue, 25 Dec 2012 16:00:01 EST news275576911 People with Type 2 diabetes have two to four times the risk of cardiovascular disease compared to people without the disease. The best way for doctors to predict which diabetes patients are at the greatest risk for heart disease is to use a coronary artery calcium (CAC) test in addition to the most commonly used assessment tool, according to researchers at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-12-heart-calcium-scan-diabetes-related-death.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Thu, 20 Dec 2012 16:06:04 EST news275241955 Among HIV patients receiving well-organized care with free access to antiretroviral therapy, those who smoke lose more years of life to smoking than to HIV, according to a Danish study published in Clinical Infectious Diseases and available online. The findings highlight the importance of smoking cessation efforts in the long-term, integrated care of patients infected with HIV. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-12-hiv-patients-years-life-infection.html HIV & AIDS Wed, 19 Dec 2012 00:00:02 EST news275073204 The scents which permeate our health spas from aromatic essential oils may provide more benefits than just a sense of rest and well-being. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-11-short-term-exposure-essential-oils-lowers.html Cardiology Thu, 29 Nov 2012 09:28:16 EST news273403658 Women who develop pre-eclampsia during their first pregnancy (known as preterm pre-eclampsia) - and who don't go on to have any more children – are at greater risk of dying from heart disease in later life than women who have subsequent children, finds a study published on BMJ today. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-11-child-mothers-pre-eclampsia-higher-heart.html Health Wed, 28 Nov 2012 04:49:08 EST news273300540 An Australian study reveals that people with the rare genetic disorder known as Prader-Willi Syndrome may have an impaired autonomic nervous system. This discovery opens up a new way of looking at the insatiable appetite experienced by all sufferers, as well as their very high risk of cardiovascular disease. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-11-prader-willi-syndrome.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Thu, 15 Nov 2012 10:49:05 EST news272198903 Individuals who do not obtain recommended intake levels of calcium through dietary sources can safely utilize calcium supplements to achieve optimal bone health, an expert panel concludes. These findings appear in the November online edition of Advances in Nutrition, a journal that highlights the significance of recent research in nutrition and illustrates the central role of nutrition in the promotion of health and prevention of disease. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-11-calcium-supplements-valuable-tool-bone.html Health Thu, 15 Nov 2012 10:36:59 EST news272198206 Between 600,000 and 800,000 Austrians have diabetes mellitus. This "sugar disease", as it is known, can itself already be treated very effectively. The later consequences of diabetes, however, which mostly affect the blood vessels and cause cardiovascular conditions such as myocardial infarctions or strokes, are more likely to be fatal. Diabetes expert Michael Resl from the University Department of Internal Medicine III at the MedUni Vienna, on the occasion of World Diabetes Day on 14th November, is keen to draw people's attention to this threat. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-11-diabetes-mellitus-life-threatening-late-complications.html Diabetes Wed, 14 Nov 2012 08:30:03 EST news272103165 New studies support limiting daily sodium consumption to less than 1,500 milligrams, according to a new American Heart Association presidential advisory. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-11-american-heart-association-limiting-sodium.html Cardiology Fri, 02 Nov 2012 16:25:35 EST news271092324 Results of a Johns Hopkins study suggest that individuals with schizophrenia are significantly more likely to live longer if they take their antipsychotic drugs on schedule, avoid extremely high doses and also regularly see a mental health professional. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-11-antipsychotic-drugs-life-individuals-schizophrenia.html Psychology & Psychiatry Thu, 01 Nov 2012 04:38:45 EST news270963171 (HealthDay)—For patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D), having a genetic predisposition towards the disease is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), according to a study published online Oct. 15 in Diabetes Care. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-10-genetic-predisposition-diabetes-ups-cvd.html Cardiology Tue, 23 Oct 2012 15:10:02 EST news270222568 An excellent review article from two scientists at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism in the USA to be published in Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2012, describes the epidemiologic and basic scientific evidence linking alcohol consumption to the risk of breast cancer. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-10-complex-association-moderate-alcohol-consumption.html Addiction Tue, 23 Oct 2012 12:10:01 EST news270211859 Consumers are increasingly demanding the development of ready-to-eat gluten and lactose-free food products that meet their needs and help improve their health. A recent study in Journal of Food Science, published by the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT), shows how new white sauce formulations are being created to meet these demands. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-10-gluten-lactose-free-ingredient-substitute-low-fat.html Health Wed, 17 Oct 2012 16:24:30 EST news269709862 HRT therapy has been subject to much discussion due to both positive effects (reduced risk of cardiovascular disease) and negative effects (increased risk of breast cancer). A paper published in the BMJ Group's Journal of Family Planning and Reproductive Healthcare back in January cast doubt on the "unreliable" Million Women Study which associated HRT with an increased risk of breast cancer. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-10-hrt-years-significantly-heart-failure.html Cardiology Tue, 09 Oct 2012 18:30:03 EST news269021256 Plasma levels of proneurotensin are associated with the development of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cardiovascular and total mortality, and breast cancer in women during long-term follow-up, according to a study in the October 10 issue of JAMA. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-10-hormone-linked-diabetes-cardiovascular-disease.html Medical research Tue, 09 Oct 2012 16:28:35 EST news269018755 People who take statins to reduce their risk of cardiovascular disease are less likely to be diagnosed with the most common form of glaucoma, according to a nationwide study of more than 300,000 patients. A University of Michigan School of Medicine research team, directed by Joshua Stein, MD, MS, found that the risk for glaucoma was reduced by eight percent in patients who took statins continuously for two years, compared with patients who did not take statins. The study, the largest to date on the topic, is published in the October issue of Ophthalmology, the journal of the American Academy of Ophthalmology. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-10-national-glaucoma-patients-statins.html Ophthalmology Mon, 01 Oct 2012 10:35:20 EST news268306513 Women who experience early menopause are more likely to have a heart attack or stroke than women whose menopause occurs at a later age, according to a new study by Melissa Wellons, M.D., assistant professor of Medicine in the Vanderbilt Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-09-ties-early-menopause-heart.html Health Fri, 28 Sep 2012 11:46:21 EST news268051574 Free bus passes for over-60s may be encouraging older people to be more physically active, say the authors of a study published today in the American Journal of Public Health. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-09-free-bus-health-benefit.html Health Thu, 20 Sep 2012 16:36:53 EST news267377799 The antidiabetic drug metformin is not prescribed for patients with reduced kidney function because the risk of adverse effects has been regarded as unacceptably high. A study at Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Sweden, has found that the risks have been substantially overrated. As a result, many more patients with diabetes may be able to enjoy the benefits of the medication. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-09-considerably-patients-benefit-effective-antidiabetic.html Diabetes Mon, 17 Sep 2012 11:23:08 EST news267099779 When stressed, about 30 percent of blacks hold onto too much sodium, the equivalent of eating a small order of fast food French fries or a small bag of potato chips, researchers say. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-09-stress-prompts-retain-salt-fries.html Cardiology Fri, 07 Sep 2012 12:44:34 EST news266240663 We're often told by the popular press and well-meaning family and friends that, for good health, we should fall asleep quickly and sleep solidly for about eight hours—otherwise we're at risk of physical and psychological ill health. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-08-monday-medical-myth-hours-eachnight.html Health Tue, 28 Aug 2012 08:51:56 EST news265362707 After years of having it drilled into their heads, most people now know that LDL (low-density lipoprotein) is the "bad" cholesterol package that increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, and HDL (high-density lipoprotein) is the "good" type that helps reduce it by removing cholesterol from artery walls. So if your HDL number is high, you've probably patted yourself on the back; if it's low, you may have tried to raise it by, for instance, exercising more, losing weight, drinking a daily glass of wine, or even taking medication, such as high-dose niacin. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-08-hdl-good.html Health Tue, 28 Aug 2012 08:47:10 EST news265362415 Compounds in cocoa may help to reduce blood pressure, according to a new systematic review in The Cochrane Library. The researchers reviewed evidence from short-term trials in which participants were given dark chocolate or cocoa powder daily and found that their blood pressure dropped slightly compared to a control group. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-08-cocoa-compounds-blood-pressure.html Health Tue, 14 Aug 2012 19:00:04 EST news264166490 The benefits of taking statins to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease outweigh the increased risk of developing diabetes experienced by some patients who take these cholesterol-lowering drugs, according to an Article published Online First in The Lancet. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-08-cardiovascular-benefits-statins-outweigh-diabetes.html Diabetes Thu, 09 Aug 2012 18:30:01 EST news263738102 Prescribing calcium and vitamin D supplements for men at risk of bone loss from hormonal treatment for prostate cancer seems like good medicine. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-08-calcium-vitamin-d-supplements.html Cancer Tue, 07 Aug 2012 10:54:40 EST news263555668 The elevated risk of cardiovascular disease seen in patients infected with HIV appears to be associated with increased inflammation within the arteries, according to a study that will appear in a special issue of JAMA published in conjunction with the International AIDS Conference. The report from Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) found that levels of inflammation within the aortas of HIV-infected individuals with neither known cardiovascular disease nor elevated traditional risk factors were comparable to those of patients with established cardiovascular disease. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-07-cardiovascular-hiv-infected-patients-arterial-inflammation.html HIV & AIDS Sun, 22 Jul 2012 15:08:46 EST news262188517 Women with high job strain are 67% more likely to experience a heart attack and 38% more likely to have a cardiovascular event than their counterparts in low strain jobs, according to a study published July 18 in the open access journal PLoS ONE. The researchers, led by Dr. Michelle A. Albert of Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, did not find any correlation between job insecurity and long-term cardiovascular disease risk. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-07-higher-job-strain-cardiovascular-women.html Cardiology Wed, 18 Jul 2012 17:00:04 EST news261848992 More patients aged 75 and over should be prescribed drugs to help lower their risk of cardiovascular disease, a study published today in the British Medical Journal suggests. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-07-elderly-people-benefit-drugs-heart.html Cardiology Thu, 12 Jul 2012 18:30:02 EST news261308941 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. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-06-natural-antioxidant-cardiovascular-disease.html Cardiology Fri, 15 Jun 2012 18:49:13 EST news259004942 Estrogen-deficient, postmenopausal women who have had their uterus removed appear to have stiffer arteries compared to similar women who have not had a hysterectomy, according to new research from the University of Colorado School of Medicine. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-06-hysterectomy-arterial-stiffening-postmenopausal-women.html Medical research Wed, 13 Jun 2012 10:42:07 EST news258802900