Cardiovascular Research: Atherosclerosis is Alzheimer's disease of blood vessels ♦ Taking statins before heart surgery can help reduce post-surgical complications

Atherosclerosis is Alzheimer's disease of blood vessels In atherosclerosis, plaque builds up on the inner walls of arteries that deliver blood to the body. Studying mice and tissue samples from the arteries of patients, researchers now suggest this accumulation is driven, at least in part, by processes similar to the plaque formation implicated in brain diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson'

Heart valves made from tissue rather than metal may be better for middle-aged patients Patients between the ages of 40 and 70 who undergo aortic valve replacement (AVR) may fare better with tissue-based valves rather than metal-based valves.

Taking statins before heart surgery can help reduce post-surgical complications Using statins before and after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery can help reduce cardiac complications, such as atrial fibrillation, following surgery and also can reduce the risk of death during and after surgery.

Even small reductions in kidney function may damage heart, blood vessels Even small reductions in kidney function are associated with heart and blood vessel damage

Children's Health: Maternal chronic stress linked to more dental cavities in children ♦ Childhood kidney stones associated with atherosclerosis. ♦ Benefits of word repetition to infants

Teens with bulimia recover faster when parents are included in treatment Involving parents in the treatment of adolescents with bulimia nervosa is more effective than treating the patient individually.

Maternal chronic stress linked to more dental cavities in children Chronic maternal stress, when measured by biological markers, has been found for the first time to be associated with a higher prevalence of cavities among children Chronic stress was also found to be linked to lower probabilities of breastfeeding and dental visits by children.

Physical activity, sadness, and suicidality in bullied U.S. adolescents Across the U.S., nearly 20% of students report being bullied on school property. Bullying is associated with academic struggle, low self-esteem, anxiety, depression, substance abuse, and self-harm. Exercise has been widely reported to have robust positive effects on mental health including reduction in depression, anxiety, and substance abuse, and now research suggests that exercise for 4 or more days per week is associated with an approximate 23% reduction in both suicidal ideation and attempt in bullied adolescents in the United States.

Childhood kidney stones associated with atherosclerosis. A recent study is the first to examine and identify a link between kidney stones in children and thickened or hardened arteries -- precursors to a wide variety of cardiovascular diseases. Understanding the connection between kidney stones and cardiovascular risk factors in children may help physicians and parents implement prevention measures to reduce future risk of stroke, heart attack or other forms of vascular disease for affected children.

Benefits of word repetition to infants  New research suggests that young infants benefit from hearing words repeated by their parents. With this knowledge, parents may make conscious communication choices that could pay off in their babies' toddler years and beyond

Cardiovascular Research:Two bio markers linked to severe heart disease ♦ Heart attack treatment hypothesis 'busted ♦ Fundamental beliefs about atherosclerosis overturned

Two bio markers linked to severe heart disease found A first-of-its-kind animal model to pinpoint two biomarkers that are elevated in the most severe form of coronary disease has been developed by scientists.

Heart attack treatment hypothesis 'busted' Researchers have long had reason to hope that blocking the flow of calcium into the mitochondria of heart and brain cells could be one way to prevent damage caused by heart attacks and strokes. But in a study of mice engineered to lack a key calcium channel in their heart cells, scientists appear to have cast a shadow of doubt on that theory.

New blood pressure guidelines may lead to under treatment of older adults In 2014, the Joint National Committee released the eighth update to the blood pressure guidelines (JNC8P). These guidelines included a controversial decision to change the blood pressure goal that may lead to under treatment of adults 60 years of age or older. The JNC8P guidelines set a less stringent goal blood pressure of < 150/90 mmHg for individuals 60 years of age or older compared to the previous <140/90 mmHg goal.

Reducing stroke damage may be next for optical coherence tomography technology widely used in vision healthcare A new article reports on use of optical coherence tomography to obtain high-resolution images showing blood-flow dynamics in the brain before, during, and after stroke-like states. The information may ultimately enable clinicians to reduce stroke damage.

Fundamental beliefs about atherosclerosis overturned Doctors' efforts to battle the dangerous atherosclerotic plaques that build up in our arteries and cause heart attacks and strokes are built on several false beliefs about the fundamental composition and formation of the plaques. These new discoveries will force researchers to reassess their approaches to developing treatments and discard some of their basic assumptions about atherosclerosis.

Women's Health: Low Testosterone not just in males ♦ Domestic violence deters contraception ♦ Breastfeeding may prevent postpartum smoking relapse

Low Testosterone not just in males: Testosterone, atherosclerosis and obesity may be linked in females  While testosterone replacement therapies may be controversial in males, new research may extend this controversy to females too. That's because research involving mice suggests that there is an association between low levels of androgens, including testosterone, and atherosclerosis and obesity in female

Domestic violence deters contraception Women who are abused by their partner or ex-partner are much less likely to use contraception; this exposes them to sexually transmitted diseases and leads to more frequent unintended pregnancies and abortions.

A third of breast cancer patients concerned about genetic risk Many women diagnosed with breast cancer are concerned about the genetic risk of developing other cancers themselves or of a loved one developing cancer. Overall, 35 percent of women with breast cancer expressed a strong desire for genetic testing, but 43 percent of those women did not have a relevant discussion with a health care professional.

Breastfeeding may prevent postpartum smoking relapse While a large number of women quit or reduce smoking upon pregnancy recognition, many resume smoking postpartum. Previous research has estimated that approximately 70 percent of women who quit smoking during pregnancy relapse within the first year after childbirth, and of those who relapse, 67 percent resume smoking by three months, and up to 90 percent by six months. A new study indicates the only significant predictor in change in smoking behaviors for women who smoked during pregnancy was in those who breastfed their infant, finding that women who breastfed their infants for at least 90 days smoked less in the months following childbirth than women who breastfed for a shorter period of time or who did not breastfeed at all.

Cardiovascular Research: Turbo-charging hormone can regrow the heart ♦ Antidepressant increased coronary atherosclerosis ♦ Near-death brain signaling accelerates demise of the heart

Common antidepressant increased coronary atherosclerosis in animal model

A commonly prescribed antidepressant caused up to a six-fold increase in atherosclerosis plaque in the coronary arteries of non-human primates, according to a study. Coronary artery atherosclerosis is the primary cause of heart attacks.

Near-death brain signaling accelerates demise of the heart

What happens in the moments just before death is widely believed to be a slowdown of the body’s systems as the heart stops beating and blood flow ends. But there's a brainstorm happening, strongly synchronized with heart rhythm. Blocking this brain outflow may change the odds of survival for those who suffer cardiac arrest.

Turbo-charging hormone can regrow the heart, animal study suggests

Researchers have discovered a way to stimulate muscle regrowth in the heart of a mouse, opening up prospects of new treatments for people who suffer heart attacks.

Pomegranate-date cocktail a day keeps the doctor away

Pomegranates and dates are delicious, increasingly trendy, and healthy to boot. As it turns out, when consumed together they are a winning combination in the war against heart disease. The researchers conclude that people at high risk for cardiovascular diseases, as well as healthy individuals, could benefit from consuming the combination of half a glass of pomegranate juice (4 ounces), together with 3 dates. Ideally, the pits should be ground up into a paste and eaten as well, but even without the pits, the combination is better than either fruit alone

Health News: Opossum-based antidote could save thousands of lives ♦ Fruit likely caused listeria ♦ Vitamin D helps immune cells prevent atherosclerosis, diabetes + more

CDC:Recalled fruit likely caused listeria cases last summer  This past summer, consumers were confronted with a series of recalls of peaches, nectarines, plums, pluots and other stone fruits potentially contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. The fruit, sourced from Wawona Packing Co., was recalled from major retailers such as ALDI, Trader Joe’s, Costco, Kroger and Walmart.. Continue Reading

Being near greened vacant lots lowers heart rates  Greening vacant lots may be associated with biologic reductions in stress, according to a new study. Residents who walked near newly greened vacant lots had significantly lower heart rates compared to walking near a blighted, or neglect Continue Reading

Vitamin D helps immune cells prevent atherosclerosis, diabetes Altered signaling through the vitamin D receptor on certain immune cells may play a role in causing the chronic inflammation that leads to the combination of type 2 diabetes and heart disease. These are the most common cause of illness and death Continue Reading

Opossum-based antidote to venom from snake bites could save thousands of lives Scientists have turned to the opossum to develop a promising new and inexpensive antidote for venomous snake bites. They predict it could save thousands of lives worldwide without the side effects of current treatments. Continue Reading

Total body iron balance: Liver MRI better than biopsy  Investigators have demonstrated that MR imaging of the liver is more accurate than liver biopsy in determining total body iron balance in patients with sickle cell disease and other disorders requiring blood transfusion therapy. This discovery follows the researchers earlier work in pioneering techniques to use MRI to noninvasively measure liver iron. Continue Reading

Childrens Health News: Kids' lunch bags flunk food safety test--Teens likely use multiple forms of tobacco-- Low childhood vitamin D linked to adult atherosclerosis

Kids' lunch bags flunk food safety test You may think you're doing the right thing, packing your kid's lunch in an insulated lunch bag to keep it cold and safe. But the KATU Problem Solvers put insulated bags to the test and the results may be a shock for parents. Some parents pack their children's lunches before 7:00 am, but their children do not eat lunch until noon, or even later. The lunches are not … Continue Reading

Teens likely use multiple forms of tobacco, study finds Teens who use tobacco products are likely to use more than one product, including e-cigarettes, hookahs and pipes, and smokeless tobacco, according to a new study.Continue Reading

Low childhood vitamin D linked to adult atherosclerosis Low levels of 25-OH vitamin D in childhood were associated with subclinical atherosclerosis over 25 years later in adulthood, according to a new study Continue Reading

Meth messes up brains of youths far more than adults In a study with chronic adolescent and adult meth users in South Korea, MRI brain scans showed decreased thickness in the gray matter of younger users’ frontal cortex. Adult brains showed less damage Continue Reading