Category: Cardiology

Women are less likely to be resuscitated and survive a cardiac arrest than men

Women who have a cardiac arrest outside the hospital setting are less likely to receive resuscitation from bystanders and more likely to die than men, according to new research published in the European Heart Journal [1]. The researchers, led by cardiologist Dr Hanno Tan (MD, PhD) at the University of Amsterdam (The Netherlands), found that […]

Antibiotic use linked to greater risk of heart attack and stroke in women

Women who take antibiotics over a long period of time are at increased risk of heart attack or stroke, according to research carried out in nearly 36,500 women. The study, published in the European Heart Journal [1], found that women aged 60 or older who took antibiotics for two months or more had the greatest […]

Air pollution causes 800,000 extra deaths a year in Europe and 8.8 million worldwide

Air pollution could be causing double the number of excess deaths a year in Europe than has been estimated previously, according to a study published in the European Heart Journal [1]. Using a new method of modelling the effects of various sources of outdoor air pollution on death rates, the researchers found that it caused […]

Smoking, high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity each linked to unhealthy brains

Factors that influence the health of our blood vessels, such as smoking, high blood and pulse pressures, obesity and diabetes, are linked to less healthy brains, according to research published in the European Heart Journal [1]. The study examined the associations between seven vascular risk factors and differences in the structures of parts of the […]

‘Broken heart’ syndrome may originate in the brain

Scientists have shown for the first time that the brain is involved in the development of a heart condition called Takotsubo syndrome (TTS). They found that regions of the brain responsible for processing emotions and controlling the unconscious workings of the body, such as heart beat, breathing and digestion, do not communicate with each other […]

Too much or too little sleep linked to increased risk of cardiovascular disease and death

The amount of time you sleep, including daytime naps, is linked to your risk of developing cardiovascular disease and death, according to a study of over 116,000 people in seven regions of the world, published in the European Heart Journal [1]. The researchers found that people who slept for longer than the recommended duration of […]

Endurance but not resistance training has anti-aging effects

Researchers have discovered evidence that endurance exercise, such as running, swimming, cross-country skiing and cycling, will help you age better than resistance exercise, which involves strength training with weights. In a study published in the European Heart Journal [1], researchers in Germany looked at the effects of three types of exercise – endurance training, high […]

Residual inflammation risk affects outcomes in patients after percutaneous coronary intervention

Patients who have persistently high levels of inflammation following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for coronary artery disease are significantly more likely to die from any cause or to have a heart attack within a year, according to a study of 7,026 patients published in the European Heart Journal [1]. Residual inflammatory risk (RIR) refers to […]

Bullying and violence at work increases the risk of cardiovascular disease

People who are bullied at work or experience violence at work are at higher risk of heart and brain blood vessel problems, including heart attacks and stroke, according to the largest prospective study to investigate the link, which is published in the European Heart Journal [1]. Although the study is observational and, therefore, cannot show […]