Archive for the ‘stroke’ Category

Binge Drinking and High Blood Pressure Harm Your Heart

Tuesday, August 24th, 2010

Binge drinking doesn’t mean a drink or two, more like ten or twenty – not exactly “drinking socially.” And not exactly the safest for your health; consuming copious amounts of booze at one sitting has been linked to alcohol poisoning, memory problems, anxiety, bladder ruptures, and even sudden death.

And a new study in the journal Stroke says binge drinking, in combination with high blood pressure, may also heighten the risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke.

High blood pressure
by itself is already associated with heart disease and stroke.

The research followed 6,100 South Koreans age 55 and up for two decades; teetotalers with normal blood pressure and men with high blood pressure who occasionally consume more than six drinks in one sitting.

Results found the binge drinkers had double the risk of suffering a heart attack or stroke. But the heaviest drinkers, people downing 12 or more drinks at one time, had nearly five times the risk of heart trouble. And the risk jumped to 12-fold if the extreme drinkers had severe high blood pressure.

The American Heart Association defines normal blood pressure as 120/80 mmHG or below. High blood pressure is classified as 140/90 mmHG and over. And severe high blood pressure is considered 168/110 mmHG or higher.

High blood pressure, or hypertension, is typically treated with improved diet – especially reducing salt and saturated fat intake – exercise, and medication.

Image credit: chrismetcalf

Early Menopause Increases Heart Risks

Tuesday, June 22nd, 2010

After 50 years of “the curse” women get rewarded with another couple years of menopause. Menopause is the natural cessation of ovarian function; meaning women stop getting their period and can no longer have children.

The process is natural, but far from pleasant; common symptoms are hot flashes, night sweats, migraine, rapid heartbeat, osteoporosis, back pain, fatigue, depression, sexual dysfunction, and decreased libido.

Go ahead and add cardiovascular disease to the list. A new study says women who go through menopause before 46 years of age have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease; including heart attack and stroke.

The average age of menopause is 51 years old.

Presented at the Endocrine Society in San Diego, scientists studied over 2,500 women, ages 45 to 84, starting in 2000. None of the women had a cardiac event, such as a heart attack, stroke, or chest pain before the age of 55.

But the women who with through early menopause were more likely to suffer one of these heart problems. Almost 6% of women who underwent menopause early had some sort of heart trouble, compared to the women who had not begun menopause or who went through it after 47 years old.

Common treatments used to ease menopause are hormone replacement therapy, antidepressants to improve mood, and blood pressure medications control hot flashes.

Image credit: Danise Delights

Erectile Dysfunction Plus Heart Disease Increase Risk of Death

Tuesday, March 16th, 2010

One is bad enough, but now a new study claims having both erectile dysfunction and cardiovascular disease raises risk for heart attack, stroke, heart failure, and death.

Writing in the journal Circulation, scientists found that men with cardiovascular disease and erectile dysfunction were:

  • 1.9 times more likely to die from heart disease
  • 2 times more likely to have a heart attack
  • 1.2 times more likely to have heart failure
  • 1.1 times more likely to have a stroke

The researchers also found men suffering from erectile dysfunction had greater risk of high blood pressure, stroke, diabetes, and urinary tract surgery, compared to men without erectile dysfunction.

Erectile Dysfunction can also single other serious health problems, such as Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and multiple sclerosis.

Image credit: Jim’s Notes

Trans-Fat Ups Women’s Risk of Stroke

Sunday, February 28th, 2010

TFIn recent years, trans-fat has become synonymous with evil; being linked to things like cancer, heart disease, and now stroke.

Presented at the American Stroke Association’s International Stroke Conference 2010, expert claims trans-fat increases stroke risk in post-menopausal women

Trans-fat is formed in partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, which is often used in fried and processed foods, and helps to extend shelf-life.

Researchers followed 87,230 post-menopausal women, ages 50 to 79, and how much trans-fat they consumed. After 7.6 years, 1,049 women had strokes.

Data showed women eating the highest average amount of trans-fat each day – roughly seven grams – were 30% more likely to have a stroke, this compared to women consuming only one gram per day.

In 2008, California became the first state to ban trans-fat in restaurants and retail food stores.

Via Food Navigator.

Image credit: Mykl Roventine

Mediterranean Diet May Protect the Brain

Tuesday, February 9th, 2010

FSConsuming a Mediterranean diet, hefty in olive oil, fish, grains, and fruits and vegetables, seems to protect the brain from cognitive—i.e. thinking—problems

In a study, funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health, researchers found Mediterranean-type diets guarded against brain damage linked cognitive problems, and lower risk of depression, cancer, and heart disease.

Scientists looked at 712 men and women, average age of 80, and with no history of stroke; only 238 had some form of brain damage.

After following the participants for six years and studying how closely they adhered to a Mediterranean diet, experts found people eating a very Mediterranean-like diet had fewer brain issues and stroke, and a 36% lower risk of brain damage.

Via HealthDay News.

Image credit: OzClarke