Fighting Heart Disease Research Articles

Anesthetic Care of the Pregnant Patient With Cardiovascular Disease: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association.

The pregnancy-related mortality rate in the United States is excessively high. The American Heart Association is dedicated to fighting heart disease and recognizes that cardiovascular disease, preexisting or acquired during pregnancy, is the leading cause of maternal mortality in the United States. Comprehensive scientific statements from cardiology and obstetrics experts guide the treatment of cardio-obstetric patients before, during, and after pregnancy. This scientific statement aims to highlight the role of specialized cardio-obstetric anesthesiology care, presenting a systematic approach to the care of these patients from the anesthesiology perspective. The anesthesiologist is a critical part of the pregnancy heart team as the perioperative physician who is trained to prevent or promptly recognize and treat patients with peripartum cardiovascular decompensation. Maternal morbidity is attenuated with expert anesthesiology peripartum care, which includes the management of neuraxial anesthesia, inotrope and vasopressor support, transthoracic echocardiography, optimization of delivery location, and consideration of advanced critical care and mechanical support when needed. Standardizing the anesthesiology approach to patients with high peripartum cardiovascular risk and ensuring that cardio-obstetrics patients have access to the appropriate care team, facilities, and advanced cardiovascular therapies will contribute to improving peripartum morbidity and mortality.

Granada (Punica granatum): una superfruta funcional con propiedades terapéuticas

The Pomegranate (Punica granatum) is a fruit that contains innumerable chemical compounds with a high biological value distributed in the bark, carpel membranes, juice (arils) and seeds. The Pomegranate known as a super fruit because of its proven antioxidant power and its health benefits that help slow down the aging process, maintain healthy skin, reduce blood pressure thus fighting heart disease, promote blood circulation, and prevents some types of cancer. The pomegranate has a high content of calcium, magnesium, potassium, and phosphorus (0.01%, 0.012%, 0.236%, and 0.036% respectively), which are part of various enzymes that help prevent alterations in the metabolism of fats and carbohydrates. The purpose of this work was to compile the various investigations on the therapeutic properties of the compounds of the pomegranate.

Metabolomics, at the heart

Physiology With heart failure a leading cause of death, a better understanding of metabolic function in the heart is a welcome advance. Murashige et al. measured more than 270 metabolites using liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry in human blood samples taken from an artery entering the heart and from a vein leaving it. Differences thus reflected the metabolic processes at work in the heart. Their results confirmed that hearts voraciously consume fatty acids. Hearts secreted, rather than consumed, amino acids, thus revealing active proteolysis. In patients with heart failure, ketone and lactate consumption increased, as did proteolysis. These findings could lead to strategies for fighting heart disease by altering metabolism. Science , this issue p. [364][1] [1]: /lookup/doi/10.1126/science.abc8861

Downsizing obesity: On Ancel Keys, the origins of BMI, and the neglect of excess weight as a health hazard in the United States from the 1950s to 1970s.

In 1972 Body Mass Index, BMI was put forth by physiologist Ancel Keys in his analysis of Seven Countries Study heart disease epidemiological data as the best available measure of obesity. This work culminated more than 20 years of effort by Keys to discredit the accepted measure of obesity, weight relative to height, along with a major public health campaign in the United States to fight heart disease through weight control. Here, I retrace his campaign to replace weight as a measure of obesity and analyze its methodology and relationship to the broader research field of heart disease epidemiology. I also explore why the epidemiological community accepted BMI despite Keys's failure to demonstrate that either it or adiposity (body fat content), were superior as predictors of heart disease-one of the Seven Countries Study's central aims.

SALMANTICOR study. Rationale and design of a population-based study to identify structural heart disease abnormalities: a spatial and machine learning analysis

IntroductionThis study aims to obtain data on the prevalence and incidence of structural heart disease in a population setting and, to analyse and present those data on the application of...

The Messy Facts about Diet and Inflammation.

The article discusses several facts about diet and inflammation focusing on how certain foods can help fight heart disease, arthritis, and dementia. Topics include role played by chronic inflammation in heart disease and other autoimmune diseases, key markers of inflammation and the risk of heart disease, and diet plan that could impact an individual's health.

Targeting the Gut Microbiome to Fight Heart Disease

Targeting the Gut Microbiome to Fight Heart Disease

Participation in Heart-Healthy Behaviors: A Secondary Analysis of the American Heart Association Go Red Heart Match Data.

The American Heart Association created Go Red Heart Match, a free and secure online program that enables women to connect with each other to fight heart disease either personally or as a caregiver for someone with heart disease. Through these connections, participants have an opportunity to develop a personal, private, and supportive relationship with other women; share common experiences; and motivate and encourage each other to follow a heart-healthy lifestyle. The aims of this study were to describe the demographic characteristics of the Go Red Heart Match responders and to determine whether participation in the program prompted participants to engage in heart-healthy behaviors. A secondary analysis of data collected as part of a needs assessment survey from the American Heart Association Go Red Heart Match was conducted. A total of 117 (35%) of the 334 invited women completed the survey. Most responders were female, married, and college educated. A total of 105 (90%) responders were diagnosed with a type of heart disease or stroke and 77 (73%) responders had undergone treatment. As a result of participating in the program, 75% of the responders reported the following improvements in heart-healthy behaviors: eating a more heart-healthy diet (54%), exercising more frequently (53%), losing weight (47%), and quitting smoking (10%). Responders who had a diagnosis of heart attack (n = 48) were more likely (P = .003) to quit smoking than were those with other diagnoses (n = 69). Notably, 48% of responders reported encouraging someone else in their life to speak to their doctor about their risk for heart disease. Most women who participated in Heart Match reported engaging in new heart-healthy behaviors. The findings support expanding the existing program in a more diverse population as a potentially important way to reach women and encourage cardiovascular disease risk reduction for those with heart disease and stroke.

Evaluation of correlation between lifestyle

AbstractObjectives: Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of 17’000’000 worldwide deaths annually. If the current trends continue, the number of deaths will increase to 25’000’000 by the year 2020. Lifestyle contributes to many chronic diseases such as coronary heart diseas. The aim of this study was to examine the correlation between lifestyle and ischemic heart disease.Methods: This case-control study was carried out in Damavand sevvom sha’ban hospital. The sample of the study consisted of 65 cases (patients suffering from coronary artery disease) and 65 healthy controls. Data were collected by three questionnaires: General Health Questionnaire(GHQ), FFQ (Food Frequency Questionnaire) and physical activity questionnaire . These questionnaires were completed by interviewing the participants. Data were analyzed by SPSS software.Results: There was a significant correlation between Age, Marital status, Smoking, Physical activity, diet and Mental health and ischemic heart disease.Conclusion: Insufficient physical activity, high fat and low fiber diet, inappropriate mental status were risk factors and major causes of in heart ischemia incidence.Key words: Heart Ischemia, Life Style, Physical Activity, Diet, Mental Heath. REFERENCES Ahmadvand AR. Jamshidi AR. and et al (2002). [Translation of Health World Report of 2002]. Tehran: Avicenna Institute. (Persian) American Heart Association (AHA) (2001). Heart and Stroke Facts. New York: American Heart Publication.. Aminbashi M. (1999). [Prevalence of Risk Factors for Coronary Artery Disease Patients Under 50 Hospitalized in Zahedan Khatamolanbia Heart Hospital]. MS Tehsis. Zahedan Medical Sciences University in 1373-77 year. (Persian) Azizi F. (2001). (Sugar & Lipid in People of Tehran). 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Infant Feeding in America: Enough to Break a Mother's Heart?

Cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of death of women around the world. Diet, exercise, smoking cessation, and blood pressure control are all recognized as key elements of preventing cardiovascular disease. Infant feeding has received less attention, but the studies reviewed here indicate that lactation may also play an important role in determining women's future risk of heart disease. A growing body of literature indicates that mothers who prematurely discontinue lactation face increased risk of visceral adiposity, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, and subclinical cardiovascular disease, as well as cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Breastfeeding is not always easy, but neither is dieting, exercise, smoking cessation, or treating hypertension. In order to effectively fight heart disease, efforts are needed to promote all aspects of a healthy lifestyle, which for women includes breastfeeding their babies.

Carotenoids and Health

Carotenoids are naturally occurring pigments found in plants, fungi, algae and bacteria. Carotenoids protect plants from sun damage. Hundreds of plant carotenoids have been identified, of which around 50 are present in edible vegetables and fruits. Astaxanthin,Beta‐carotene,Crocetin, Lycopene,Lutein, Zeaxanthin are the most important carotenoids that have beneficial effects on human health.The consumption of Carotenoids has been associated with reduced risks of cancers, cataract and age related macular degeneration. The primary benefit of carotenoids lies in their antioxidant potential. Antioxidants are compounds that protect the body's cells from damage by unstable oxygen molecules called free radicals. Carotenoids guard against certain types of cancer, apparently by limiting the abnormal growth of cells. For instance, lycopene appears to inhibit prostate cancer formation. Researchers at Harvard University found that men who ate 10 or more servings a week of tomato‐based foods – tomatoes being the richest dietary source of lycopene – cut their risk of prostate cancer by nearly 45 per cent. In addition, carotenoids fight heart disease by blocking the formation of LDL (‘bad’ cholesterol) which leads to heart attacks. The carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin both reduce the risk of macular degeneration (MD). This article analyzes the health benefits of Carotenoids on human health.

Coronary artery disease: Are men and women created equal?

Ischemic heart disease in women is a difficult issue in cardiovascular medicine, mainly because of our lack of understanding of the early-stage mechanisms and symptoms. A better and earlier understanding of the pathophysiology of coronary artery disease (CAD) in women will enable us to detect ischemic heart disease earlier and prevent adverse clinical outcomes. The aims of this article were to describe the phenomenon of ischemic heart disease in women, increase awareness of the difference between men and women in relation to ischemic heart disease, improve our understanding of the mechanisms that cause this difference, and identify new approaches for better and earlier detection and treatment of CAD in women. We conducted a search of the PubMed database for double-blind studies on the mechanistic pathways of CAD in women published in English within the past 10 years and epidemiologic studies published since 1970. Search terms included women and coronary artery disease and ischemic heart disease in women. The literature search revealed 30 peer-reviewed articles pertaining to this issue. The incidence of CAD was markedly lower in women <60 years of age than in older women. After 60 years of age, the rate of CAD increased and reached the rate seen among men by the 8th decade of life. The gender difference in atherosclerosis in the coronary tree was particularly large in patients <55 years of age and remained large at older ages. The gender difference in the coronary bed was strikingly larger than in other vascular beds. Intensive risk-factor modification had a similar effect on plaque progression in both men and women. Coronary endothelial dysfunction appeared to be related to cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in women as well as in men, and because endothelial dysfunction could be modified, it appeared that the prognosis could be improved by appropriate management. A strong association was found between body mass index (BMI) and metabolic status, but only the metabolic syndrome was associated with CAD. Physical activity was independently associated with fewer risk factors, less CAD, and fewer adverse events in women; however, obesity was not associated with these outcomes. Results of the identified studies suggest that reduction of risk factors is a common approach to fighting heart disease in both sexes. It appears that for women, weight and BMI are not as important as previously thought, but physical exercise and fitness are very important and can change risk factors and clinical outcomes more than any other known intervention. Data suggest that global inflammation may play an important role in women and may predict cardiovascular outcome in women much better than the traditional risk factors that have been used and proved for men.

Research and Findings

Key Protein Regulating Inflammation May Prove Important in Controlling Sepsis. Tomato Pills Fight Heart Disease. Malaysian Scientists Decipher Oil Palm Genome.

Mobilisation of issue networks: the case of fighting heart disease in Finland

In this study we examine the mobilisation processes of public, private and third sector actors to solve pressing contemporary issues. We develop an analytical framework that integrates the business network and institutional entrepreneurship literature to investigate the initial mobilisation processes of issue networks. Empirically, we focus on collective actions in Finland to tackle heart disease, which is a pressing global health issue. Our results stress the role of network mobilisers in creating institutional change by framing the issues and connecting different networks. We argue that network relationships are the key resource for creating institutional change and solving common issues.

Dentists can play a role in fighting heart disease

Dentists can play a role in fighting heart disease

The chain of scientific discovery: the critical role of the physician-scientist.

Welcome, and thank you for joining us for the 2001 Scientific Sessions. It is a pleasure and a privilege for me to stand before you today, an honor for which I am indeed grateful. For many years, pioneers of scientific achievement and distinguished colleagues have gathered in this forum to share knowledge, discoveries, and insights. As a result, the Scientific Sessions have grown to be the largest gatherings of cardiovascular scientists and healthcare professionals in the world. Joining together here, we are of one mind in our mission; though perhaps differing in some areas, we share a strong mutual respect. This professionalism, dedication, and tireless work ethic ultimately bring about extraordinary outcomes. As healers, scientists, and practitioners of medicine, we are challenged with fighting disease, curing illness, and bettering the human condition. However, as you are all too painfully aware, since September 11th, we have been in the midst of a crisis that plagues our world. It is an environment that makes it difficult to fully focus our attentions on fighting heart disease and stroke, jobs that are certainly daunting enough. It is my fervent desire that our shared value of human life will one day be shared throughout the world. I am frequently reminded of John Lennon’s famous song “Imagine,” where he says, “Imagine all the people, sharing all the world.” His lyrics remind us of our purpose this week, which is the free and open sharing of research and discoveries, asking of questions, and seeking of answers, all with the goal of making our world a better place. In our profession, we are sometimes called to be teachers and sometimes to be students. In some cases, we may have the answers that others seek; at other times, we seek answers from those who may be wiser or more …

Pumping Up Arteries: Estrogen shows beneficial effect (Estrogen replacement therapy)

Hormone replacement therapy's power to cool hot flashes and bolster bone has earned it a reputation as a youth-sustaining pill for postmenopausal women. Scientists have long reasoned that it could help fight heart disease too, in part because premenopausal women have a much lower incidence of the condition than men do; during menopause, estrogen concentrations plummet and the risk for women begins to catch up to that for men. However, a long-term study on a large group released this year--the Heart and Estrogen Replacement Study (HERS)--found that hormone replacement therapy didn't reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, casting doubt on its benefits in this realm of health care. Now, Mullick and colleagues add fuel to the debate by demonstrating that estrogen protects the vascular system even after treatment stops--at least in rats. What's more, the work lends support to a possible mechanism for the newfound cardiovascular benefits. The researchers had previously found that estrogen protects arteries from age-associated damage. To probe whether this benefit persists after treatment, they implanted pellets that released either estrogen, progesterone, both, or nothing into 26 Sprague-Dawley rats whose ovaries had been removed so they wouldn't churn out estrogen and progesterone. A fifth group received no implant. After 12 months of hormone treatment, the researchers took out the pellets and allowed 1 month for the hormones to wash away. They then excised the carotid arteries from each rat and measured two indicators of vascular health: arterial stiffness and permeability--the ease with which a test substance seeps through the blood vessel lining. Stiff arteries are associated with high blood pressure because the rigid vessels can't expand properly, and increased permeability promotes the development of atherosclerosis by allowing lipids to more easily penetrate and accumulate in the vascular wall. Estrogen treatment led to a 34% improvement in flexibility, measured by the arteries' ability to expand with increasing pressure. And estrogen or a combination of estrogen and progesterone blocked passage of a fluorescent test molecule called TRITC-dextran through the artery wall: Only 64% as much of the compound permeated these vessels as it did those subjected to the other treatments. Previous results suggested that estrogen prevents vascular stiffening by limiting harm from so-called advanced glycation end products (AGEs), which arise from reactions between glucose and proteins and are thought to irrevocably alter proteins and thwart their functions. To find out whether the hormones in this study could be acting by limiting AGE-induced damage, the investigators assessed concentrations of the AGE pentosidine. Even a month after removal of the hormone pellets, concentrations of pentosidine were 50% lower in arteries from rats treated with either estrogen or a combination of estrogen and progesterone than from rats in the other groups. Because the researchers stopped the hormone treatments 1 month before taking measurements, the data indicate that estrogen's benefits persist even after therapy ends. Results from the new study need to be confirmed in women, and estrogen-based therapy--even when used to confer well-established benefits--is controversial because it might boost the risk of breast and other cancers. But if the results hold up, they'll add weight to the notion that this type of hormone treatment blocks some of the vascular changes that come with increasing age. --Christie Aschwanden; suggested by James M. Harper A. E. Mullick, B. A. Walsh, K. M. Reiser, J. C. Rutledge, Chronic estradiol treatment attenuates stiffening, glycoxidation, and permeability in rat carotid arteries. Am. J. Physiol. Heart Circ. Physiol. 281 , H2204-H2210 (2001). [Abstract] [Full Text]

Mining for Genes: Comparative sequence analysis unearths hidden gem

With the Human Genome Project nearing completion, finding the genes involved in aging-related disorders and other unwelcome afflictions is closer than ever. But obtaining the sequence is only the first step; locating genes among the sea of 3 billion nucleotides still poses a formidable challenge. Pennacchio and colleagues now illustrate the power of comparative sequence analysis to pinpoint genes, even in well-studied chromosomal regions. Their find: a gene that influences risk for a common malady of old age, namely coronary artery disease. The method hinges on the fact that natural selection maintains sequences that perform important functions. As a result, genes--as opposed to the stretches of DNA that lie between them--tend to be conserved among species. With this principle in mind, the researchers staked out a region of chromosome 11 that carries an apolipoprotein gene cluster; they sought sequences shared by humans and mice, hoping to find spans of DNA that regulate the expression of these previously identified genes. Instead, their comparison turned up an entirely new member of the group, a gene they call APOAV . Like other apolipoproteins, APOAV affects the concentrations of lipids in the bloodstream. Blood plasma triglyceride concentrations in mice engineered to overproduce Apoav are a third as great as those in wild-type animals; conversely, triglyceride concentrations in mice that lack the gene are four times as high. Results from additional experiments suggest that certain versions of APOAV correlate strongly with elevated triglyceride levels in humans. The discovery could reach beyond fighting heart disease: Elevated triglyceride levels are also a risk factor for strokes, so therapies that target APOAV or the protein it encodes could potentially reduce both strokes and the vascular dementia that commonly accompanies them. --Christie Aschwanden L. A. Pennacchio, M. Olivier, J. A. Hubacek, J. C. Cohen, D. R. Cox, J.-C. Fruchart, R. M. Krauss, E. M. Rubin, An apolipoprotein influencing triglycerides in humans and mice revealed by comparative sequencing. Science 294 , 169-173 (2001). [Abstract] [Full Text]

International co-operation in world cardiology. The role of the World Heart Federation.

The World Heart Federation is the new name of the Interna-tional Society and Federation of Cardiology (ISFC), asapproved by the General Assembly, which met during theWorld Congress of Cardiology in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, inApril 1998. The organization was formed in 1978 by a mergerof the International Society of Cardiology (a professionalorganization founded in 1946, with a worldwide membershipof national societies of cardiology) and the InternationalCardiology Federation (an association of heart foundationsset up in 1970 to promote fund-raising for research, profes-sional, and public education and community programs). Thenew World Heart Federation therefore has .50 years’ expe-rience fighting heart disease throughout the world. At present,it brings together national societies of cardiology and heartfoundations from 81 countries, as well as “continental”members covering the Asia-Pacific region, Europe, theAmericas, and Africa.In recent years, the World Heart Federation has worked in2 ways: (1) through its scientific councils, which are engagedin many projects, some of them with the World HealthOrganization (WHO); and (2) through its heart foundations,now grouped in continental associations, which are veryactive in public education relating to all aspects of hearthealth. The fight against tobacco use is 1 important aim of ourorganization. Very recently, the World Heart Federation hastaken a firm position against any settlement with the tobaccocompanies proposed by the United States of America, whichdoes not give equal treatment to citizens of the United Statesand citizens of other countries. Heart foundations provide away for laypeople, many of them affected directly or indi-rectly by heart disease and stroke, to contribute to the fightagainst cardiovascular diseases, mainly by adapting theknowledge gained from research and medical practice intohealth education programs for the public.We are convinced that we now have a firm base fromwhich to define the future role of the World Heart Federationin world cardiology. We must provide leadership and supportother societies and organizations, especially our continentaland national members, in their efforts to promote cardiologyworldwide. To do this, we must reach a consensus about ourown aims and avoid duplication of activities. We hope toincrease even further the collaboration between professionalorganizations and national heart foundations within the Fed-eration, which would benefit both our fund-raising and ourscientific aims. We need to promote joint projects withspecial emphasis on preventive measures and to fight againstcardiovascular diseases in developing countries.

Discussion

The World Heart Federation is the new name of the International Society and Federation of Cardiology (ISFC), as approved by the General Assembly, which met during the World Congress of Cardiology in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in April 1998. The organization was formed in 1978 by a merger of the International Society of Cardiology (a professional organization founded in 1946, with a worldwide membership of national societies of cardiology) and the International Cardiology Federation (an association of heart foundations set up in 1970 to promote fund-raising for research, professional, and public education and community programs). The new World Heart Federation therefore has >50 years’ experience fighting heart disease throughout the world. At present, it brings together national societies of cardiology and heart foundations from 81 countries, as well as “continental” members covering the Asia-Pacific region, Europe, the Americas, and Africa. In recent years, the World Heart Federation has worked in 2 ways: (1) through its scientific councils, which are engaged in many projects, some of them with the World Health Organization (WHO); and (2) through its heart foundations, now grouped in continental associations, which are very active in public education relating to all aspects of heart health. The fight against tobacco use is 1 important aim of our organization. Very recently, the World Heart Federation has taken a firm position against any settlement with the tobacco companies proposed by the United States of America, which does not give equal treatment to citizens of the United States and citizens of other countries. Heart foundations provide a way for laypeople, many of them affected directly or indirectly by heart disease and stroke, to contribute to the fight against cardiovascular diseases, mainly by adapting the knowledge gained from research and medical practice into health education programs for the public. We are convinced that …