Although diseases of the heart and blood vessels (cardiovascular disease, CVD) kill more people worldwide than anything else, with 17.3 million deaths globally, cancer has now overtaken CVD as the main cause of death in 12 European countries. New data on the burden of CVD in Europe for 2016, which are published in the European […]
Category: Cardiology
How much you weigh as a teenager is linked to your risk of heart failure in early middle age
Research that followed more than 1.6 million Swedish men from adolescence onwards between 1968 and 2005 has shown that those who were overweight as teenagers were more likely to develop heart failure in early middle age. Surprisingly, the increased risk of heart failure was found in men who were within the normal body weight range […]
A ‘Mediterranean’ diet is linked to a lower risk of heart attacks and strokes in people with heart disease, but a ‘Western’ diet is not associated with an increased risk
A “Mediterranean” diet, high in fruit, vegetables, fish and unrefined foods, is linked to a lower risk of heart attack and stroke in people who already have heart disease, according to a study of over 15,000 people in 39 countries around the world. The research also showed that eating greater amounts of healthy food was […]
Happiness can break your heart too
Happy events can trigger a heart condition known as takotsubo syndrome, according to research published in the European Heart Journal [1]. Takotsubo syndrome (TTS) is known as “broken heart syndrome” and is characterised by a sudden temporary weakening of the heart muscles that causes the left ventricle of the heart to balloon out at the […]
Negative news stories about statins are linked to people discontinuing treatment and an increase in heart attacks and early death
Researchers in Denmark have found that negative news stories about statins are linked to some people choosing to discontinue their statin treatment, which, in consequence, is associated with an increased risk of heart attacks and dying from heart disease. The study, which is published in the European Heart Journal [1], shows that for every negative […]
New research suggests not all trans fatty acids are bad for you
New evidence suggests that low levels of trans fatty acids (TFAs) may not be as harmful to human health as previously thought, even if industrially produced, and may even be beneficial if they occur naturally in foods such as dairy and meat products, according to a study published in the European Heart Journal [1]. Artificial […]
New cardiovascular disease death rates show stark inequalities between European countries
Diseases of the heart and blood vessels are the most common cause of death in Europe, resulting in over four million deaths a year (45% of all deaths) according to the latest available figures published in the European Heart Journal [1]. Although deaths from cardiovascular disease (CVD) are declining in most of Europe, there are […]
Get up for your heart health and move for your waistline
More time spent standing rather than sitting could improve your blood sugar, fats in the blood and cholesterol levels, according to a new study published in the European Heart Journal [1]. The study also shows that replacing time spent sitting with time walking could have additional benefits for your waistline and body mass index (BMI). […]
Experts call for ‘all hands on deck’ to tackle global burden of non-communicable disease
A group of some of the world’s top doctors and scientists working in cardiology and preventive medicine have issued a call to action to tackle the global problem of deaths from non-communicable diseases (NCDs), such as heart problems, diabetes and cancer, through healthy lifestyle initiatives. They say that identifying the enormous burden caused by NCDs […]
Discovery of new genetic mutation in aortic disease allows better diagnosis and brings personalised medicine a step closer
Glasgow, United Kingdom: Thoracic aortic aneurysm and dissection (TAAD), an enlargement or tearing of the walls of the aorta in the chest, is, together with abdominal aortic aneurysms, responsible for about 2% of all deaths in Western countries. The aorta is the largest artery in the body, and carries blood from the heart. About one […]