Archive for the ‘Cardiology’ Category

Smoking is a major risk factor for heart disease, including heart attacks. It is, therefore, no surprise that the CDC reported this week that hospitalizations for heart attacks in Pueblo, Colorado have sustained a 3-year decrease after the city implemented a law making public and work places smoke-free. Multiple studies have shown similar rapid and dramatic decreases within one year after the implementation of smoke-free laws. However, this was the first study to show that the benefits continue years after the initial drop.

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The American Chemical Society reports new evidence that humans can make their own salicylic acid (SA), the compound largely responsible for aspirin’s effects on pain, fever, and inflammation. SA is a naturally occurring substance that can be obtained directly from eating fruits and vegetables. Researchers have previously shown that vegetarians have much higher levels of SA in their bodies (sometimes as high as in those who take low doses of aspirin). Now, the same research group claims that new evidence suggest that our bodies can actually manufacture SA from compounds we consume in our diet. Could SA be one of the chemicals responsible for the health benefits of a vegetarian diet? Numerous studies have shown that vegetarians seem to have a lower risk of obesity, coronary heart disease (which can cause heart attacks), high blood pressure, and diabetes.

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Drinking too much this holiday season can do more than cause a bit of inebriation. Consuming relatively large amounts of alcohol can cause what physicians term “holiday heart syndrome“, a condition where alcohol stimulates the heart to go into arrhythmias (an abnormal heart rhythm) - even in healthy individuals without cardiac problems. Symptoms of holiday heart syndrome typically include palpitations, shortness of breath, lightheadedness, and chest pressure/pain or discomfort. This condition can occur during any periods of increased alcohol consumption - binge drinking on weekends, during vacations, and, of course, during holidays. It’s usually self-limited and benign. But if you feel any of the symptoms above for an extended amount of time (minutes to hours), you should get checked out by your physician or seek medical attention at the emergency room. The only way to prevent holiday heart is to use your judgment in exercising moderation.

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Doctors are hoping the results of a new study led by Johns Hopkins University will pave the way for standardized noninvasive imaging of coronary arteries by using newer, more powerful CT scanners. Currently, angiograms are considered the gold standard for detecting blockage of arteries in the heart. However, angiograms (also called cardiac catheterization) are invasive procedures with many risks. CT scans, on the other hand, carry less risks and are noninvasive. Researchers have found that 3D scans produced by CT scanners can accurately pinpoint the size and location of blockages, but not nearly as well as a traditional angiograms. Additional studies will be needed to clarify exactly how this technology can be best used in the detection of coronary heart disease.

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Are men and women truly different at heart? Perhaps, when it comes to heart transplants. A new Johns Hopkins University study finds that cardiac transplant patients have better odds of survival and a lower risk of rejection if they receive organs from donors of the same sex. Doctors think that heart size is an important factor. Men’s hearts are bigger and have more pumping capacity than women’s. Researchers believe that hormonal and immunologic differences between the sexes may also play a role. However, at this time it is not feasible for every person in need of a heart transplant to be paired with a perfect match - approximately 2,700 Americans are waiting for a heart, but only 2,200 heart transplants are performed annually.

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Regular aerobic exercise has been extensively studied and is known to have long-term cardiac benefits. However, did you know that listening to your favorite tune can dilate your blood vessels the same way exercise or drugs used to treat high blood pressure and cholesterol do? Researchers have shown that when people listen to music that makes them feel good (you pick the song) the effect of blood vessel dilation can last for almost an hour afterwords. Blood vessels that are able to react by dilating are termed as more “elastic.” More elastic vessels decrease the risk of atherosclerosis and blood clot formation that can lead to stroke and heart attacks.

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More news today emerged from the annual scientific sessions of the American Heart Association. British researchers report on a new microgenerator designed to generate electricity with each heartbeat. The energy can then be used to power implanted cardiac devices, such as defibrillators and pacemakers. Although still very preliminary, once the the generators are ready for production they will be able to be implanted, along with an implantable cardiac device, through minimally invasive routes.

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Research presented this week at an American Heart Association conference warns of the potential dangers headphones can impose on implanted pacemakers and defibrillators. In a study of 60 people with these devices researchers found when headphones were about an inch from the device, interference was detected nearly one-fourth of the time — in four of the 27 pacemaker patients and 10 of the 33 with defibrillators. A pacemaker even reset itself in one patient. This interference occurs whether the headphone is plugged in or not. The reason this happens is because headphones, especially small earbud types, contain neodymium, one of the most powerful and concentrated magnetic substances. Dr. Kenneth Ellenbogen, a heart device expert at Virginia Commonwealth University and a spokesman for the heart association, said the solution is simple: “Keep your headphones on your ears and when they’re not on your ears, you shouldn’t put them over your chest or your pacemaker.” Although headphones are still safe to use, in general it is a good idea to keep small electronics at least a few inches away from any implanted cardiac devices.

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