Being an Optimist may Protect against Heart Problems

Being cheerful may protect against heart problems, say US experts.

Happy, optimistic people have a lower risk of heart disease and stroke, a Harvard School of Public Health review of more than 200 studies – reported in Psychological Bulletin – suggests.

While such people may be generally healthier, scientists think a sense of well-being may lower risk factors such as high blood pressure and cholesterol.

Being an Optimist may Protect against Heart Problems

Stress and depression have already been linked to heart disease.

The researcher from the Harvard School of Public Health trawled medical trial databases to find studies that had recorded psychological well-being and cardiovascular health.

This revealed that factors such as optimism, life satisfaction, and happiness appeared to be linked associated with a reduced risk of heart and circulatory diseases, regardless of a person’s age, socio-economic status, smoking status or body weight.

Disease risk was 50% lower among the most optimistic individuals.

Visit MedicsPro Doctors for thousands of Locum Doctor Jobs in the UK

 

Not Proof

Dr Julia Boehm and colleagues stress that their work only suggests a link and is not proof that well-being buffers against heart disease.

And not only is it difficult to objectively measure well-being, other heart risk factors like cholesterol and diabetes are more important when it comes to reducing disease.

The people in the study who were more optimistic also engaged in healthier behaviours such as getting more exercising and eating a balanced diet, which will have some influence.

But even when they controlled for these factors and others, like sleep quality, the link between optimism and better heart health remained.

Although they looked at 200 studies, the researchers say this number is still not enough to draw firm conclusions and recommend more research.

Much of the past work on mood and heart disease has looked at stress and anxiety rather than happiness.

Maureen Talbot, senior cardiac nurse at the British Heart Foundation, said: “The association between heart disease and mental health is very complex and still not fully understood.

“Although this study didn’t look at the effects of stress, it does confirm what we already know which is psychological well-being is an important part of a healthy lifestyle, just like staying active and eating healthily. It also highlights the need for healthcare professionals to provide a holistic approach to care, taking into account the state of someone’s mental health and monitoring its effect on their physical health.”

Source: BBC News UK

Artificial Heart Keeps Boy Alive for Record 251 Days

A three-year-old boy has been kept alive with an artificial heart for more than eight months, which doctors say is a record for a child in the UK.

Joe Skerratt from Gillingham, Kent, was diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy, which meant his heart struggled to pump blood around his body.

He was temporarily fitted with a “Berlin heart”, to give his own a helping hand. After 251 days, he finally had a heart transplant last year.

Joe’s mother, Rachel, said “we started to see his character coming back” after he was fitted with the Berlin heart. But this was the start of a long wait for a heart donor.

She said, “When Joe passed the 200-day mark on the Berlin heart we started to really question what else could be done if a heart wasn’t found, but we knew deep down there wouldn’t be much. On day 251 the call we had been waiting for came. We were offered a heart for Joe. The call came early in the morning and time seemed to stand still before he was taken down to theatre.”

Visit MedicsPro Doctors for thousands of Locum Doctor Jobs in the UK

After the operation, Joe’s chest would not be closed for four days. Rachel said: “Seeing his new heart – a normal size and thumping away in his chest – was incredible.”

Their first night back home was celebrated with Joe’s favourite meal – pizza.

Joe was first diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy when he was taken to hospital looking grey at just three weeks old. An X-ray showed his heart was severely enlarged. He was later diagnosed with a genetic disorder – Barth syndrome, which leads to muscle weakness, short stature and feeding problems.

Artificial Heart Keeps Boy Alive for Record 251 Days

In December 2010, Joe’s heart was failing and doctors found his valves were leaking. His heart had now become even more enlarged and was taking up too much space in his chest.

A few days later his heart stopped twice while he was in hospital. He was then transferred to Great Ormond Street Hospital in London, where his heart stopped for a third time.

Doctors stabilised Joe and he was fitted to a Berlin heart.

The Berlin heart is about the size of a small fridge. Some children need to be on the device for only a couple of weeks, while for others, the wait for a new heart can take many months.

Dr Alessandro Giardini, consultant paediatric cardiologist at Great Ormond Street, said: “We are really delighted to see Joe doing so well and thriving at home. He spent a long time with us in hospital.

“Joe was very lucky to be able to have a heart transplant. There is a chronic shortage of donor organs for children in the UK and at any one time we have several children in the hospital awaiting a transplant. Lots of children wait years for an organ to become available and can very sadly die while they are doing so.”

Joe’s parents have both called for people to join the NHS organ donor register. Rachel said: “We are eternally grateful to the donor family. We cannot imagine what they went through, their generosity of thought at such a horrendous time is completely selfless and amazing.”

Source: BBC News UK

MedicsPro – Medical Recruitment Specialists

Red Meat Increases Death, Cancer and Heart Risk

A diet high in red meat can shorten life expectancy, according to researchers at Harvard Medical School.

The study of more than 120,000 people suggested red meat increased the risk of death from cancer and heart problems. Substituting red meat with fish, chicken or nuts lowered the risks, the authors said.

Red Meat Increases Death, Cancer and Heart Risk

The British Heart Foundation said red meat could still be eaten as part of a balanced diet. The researchers analysed data from 37,698 men between 1986 and 2008 and 83,644 women between 1980 and 2008.

They said adding an extra portion of unprocessed red meat to someone’s daily diet would increase the risk of death by 13%, of fatal cardiovascular disease by 18% and of cancer mortality by 10%. The figures for processed meat were higher, 20% for overall mortality, 21% for death from heart problems and 16% for cancer mortality.

The study said: “We found that a higher intake of red meat was associated with a significantly elevated risk of total, cardiovascular disease, and cancer mortality.

“This association was observed for unprocessed and processed red meat with a relatively greater risk for processed red meat.”

Visit MedicsPro Doctors for thousands of Locum Doctor Jobs in the UK

The researchers suggested that saturated fat from red meat may be behind the increased heart risk and the sodium used in processed meats may “increase cardiovascular disease risk through its effect on blood pressure”.

Victoria Taylor, a dietitian at the British Heart Foundation, said: “Red meat can still be eaten as part of a balanced diet, but go for the leaner cuts and use healthier cooking methods such as grilling.

“If you eat processed meats like bacon, ham, sausages or burgers several times a week, add variation to your diet by substituting these for other protein sources such as fish, poultry, beans or lentils.”

Source: BBC News UK

MedicsPro – Medical Recruitment Specialists

Heart Attack Symptoms Differ in Women

Fewer women than men suffering from a heart attack appear to experience chest pain symptoms, according to a study of more than one million people in the US.

Overall men have significantly more heart attacks, but under the age of 55 women are more likely to die from one.

Without displaying the classic chest pain symptoms of a heart attack, researchers say some women may not be getting the right kind of treatment.

The study looked at patients seen at more than 1,000 hospitals.  The research found that among younger women – those aged under 55 – the differences in symptoms with men of the same age were striking.

Visit MedicsPro Doctors for thousands of Locum Doctor Jobs in the UK

Overall, 42% of women did not experience chest pain compared with 30% of men. And once admitted, the study found that women were more likely to die than men from the same age group.

Some 14% of women died compared with 10% of men. The study adds to evidence that women can experience quite different symptoms to men.

Time is critical

The authors, writing in the Journal of the American Medical Association, said: “Optimal recognition and timely management of myocardial infarction (MI), especially for reducing patient delay in seeking acute medical care, is critical.

“The presence of chest pain/discomfort is the hallmark symptom of MI. Patients without chest pain/discomfort tend to present later, are treated less aggressively, and have almost twice the short-term mortality compared with those presenting with more typical symptoms of MI.”

Heart attacks among younger women are relatively rare.  In fact the average age of women admitted to hospital in the study was 74, compared with 67 for men.

Cathy Ross, senior cardiac nurse at the British Heart Foundation, said a heart attack did not necessarily mean dramatic and excruciating chest pains.

“Symptoms vary; for some the pain is severe and yet others may feel nothing more than a mild discomfort or heaviness. The most important thing to remember is if you think you’re having a heart attack, call 999. Younger women may need to heed that advice more than most because they appear to be less likely to have chest pains. Their symptoms can be overlooked by inexperienced medical staff because heart attacks in young women are rare. More research will hopefully identify why there are such variations in the way heart disease affects men and women.”

Dr Kevin F Fox, a consultant cardiologist at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust and speaking for the Royal College of Physicians, said that overall the number of heart attacks and associated deaths were falling, but that when young women had heart attacks the outcomes were not good.

“The paper has shown that women, and in particular younger women, under 55 years of age, often do not have the typical presenting symptom of chest pain compared to men when they have a heart attack. Although heart attack survival is improving overall, doctors, health care professionals and the public need to be aware and vigilant that women can have a heart attack without the typical chest pain that we all think of as the main symptom.”

The US researchers describe the results of their work as “provocative” and urge further study, but say that for the moment there should be no change in the public health message that chest pain and discomfort could be symptoms of a heart attack.

Source: BBC News UK

                                      MedicsPro – Medical Recruitment Specialists

Experts Warn of Epidemic of Worn out Heart Valves

The UK needs to prepare for an epidemic of valvular heart disease, caused by a rapidly ageing population, say experts. With four million people set to be aged 75 to 84 within a few years, surgeons see a rise in the number of transplants to replace worn out valves.

Latest audit data shows a sharp increase in all types of valve surgery in the UK, with some surgeons say it is now taking up 40% of their workload. Experts say the UK is poorly prepared for more cases. European and US data indicate that more than 13% of people aged 75 and above have valvular heart disease (VHD).

To some extent, it is part of ageing: as people get older, their valves become less flexible, and more stretched or torn. And experts are concerned that the UK is poorly prepared for what is certain to be a big increase in cases.

“VHD has been relatively neglected by politicians, health economists and even by cardiologists” – The journal paper authors.

Visit MedicsPro Doctors for thousands of Locum Doctor Jobs in the UK

Data from the latest National Adult Cardiac Surgery Database for Great Britain and Northern Ireland shows wide variation in treatment provision.

More than a third of those undergoing surgery to repair their defective heart valves had advanced disease, significantly increasing their likelihood of complications, death, and ineffective symptom relief, researchers told Heart journal. “These observations suggest that both initial diagnoses and subsequent follow up are currently inadequate and that patients are routinely referred late in the natural history of the condition, beyond the window where surgery is of maximum benefit,” they said. The surgeons were based at Oxford ‘s John Radcliffe Hospital, London ‘s St Thomas ‘ Hospital and the University Hospital of South Manchester.

Ageism and sexism also seem to be factors, with twice as many men undergoing aortic valve replacement as women, and patients over the age of 75 with moderate to severe disease half as likely to be treated surgically as their younger counterparts.

“Advancing age is often used to justify the decision to withhold surgery, but suitably selected patients may derive considerable improvement in symptomatic burden and overall quality of life, following successful intervention,” they say.

Mr Ben Bridgewater, a heart surgeon from South Manchester University Hospital , and colleagues are calling for specialist centres to be set up, staffed by specialists with access to the right screening tests and equipment to treat patients with VHD.

Valvular heart disease symptoms Some people may not experience any symptoms but common symptoms are: being out of breath swelling of the ankles and feet being unusually tired “VHD has been relatively neglected by politicians, health economists and even by cardiologists,” they say. “National programmes already exist for heart failure and coronary disease.

A similar coordinated approach to research, education, and clinical management is now needed to ensure improved outcomes for all patients with VHD.” Professor Peter Weissberg of the British Heart Foundation said: “The authors of this paper are right to point out that the NHS will need appropriately skilled health care professionals to identify and deal with patients of all ages – particularly the elderly – with valve disease.”

It is well established that patients with all types of heart disease have a better chance of survival and quality of life when managed by an expert cardiological team. “It is essential that all hospitals maintain and indeed expand their expert cardiac services over the coming years to avoid the financial and health costs of not dealing with the changing pattern of heart disease in an expert and timely manner.”

Source: BBC News UK

MedicsPro – Medical Recruitment Specialists

Men can inherit a Form of Heart Disease from Father via Y chromosome

Men can inherit heart disease from their father say scientists who have tracked the condition to the Y chromosome that dads pass to sons.

By studying the DNA of over 3,000 men they found a particular version of the sex chromosome increases the risk of coronary artery disease by 50%. As many as one in five British men carry this version of Y.

And the risk it confers is in addition to other heart risk factors like cholesterol, The Lancet reports.

Men can inherit a Form of Heart Disease from Father via Y chromosome

Experts already know that men develop heart disease a decade earlier than women, on average. By the age of 40, the lifetime risk of heart disease is one in two for men and one in three for women.

Lifestyle factors like smoking and blood pressure are important contributors. This latest work suggests the male Y chromosome can also play a role in coronary artery disease – a common form of heart disease that kills thousands each year in the UK.

Visit MedicsPro Doctors for thousands of Locum Doctor Jobs in the UK

Passed down

Dr Maciej Tomaszewski, from the University of Leicester, and colleagues studied 3,233 biologically unrelated British men who were already enrolled in other medical studies investigating heart disease risk.

When they carried out genetic tests on the men they found that 90% possessed one of two common versions of Y chromosome – named haplogroup I and haplogroup R1b1b2.

And the risk of coronary artery disease among the men carrying the haplogroup I version was 50% higher than in other men.

The scientists say they now need to pinpoint precisely which genes on the Y chromosome are responsible. But they believe they already know how they exert their effect – by upsetting a man’s immune system.

Dr Maciej Tomaszewski, a clinical senior lecturer at the University’s Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, said: “We are very excited about these findings as they put the Y chromosome on the map of genetic susceptibility to coronary artery disease.

“Doctors usually associated the Y chromosome with maleness and fertility but this shows it is also implicated in heart disease.” He said, ultimately, the discovery could lead to new ways to treat and prevent heart disease in men, as well as a genetic test to spot those greatest risk.

In the meantime, he said men should focus on risk factors that they already have the power to modify themselves, such as getting enough exercise and eating a healthy diet to keep their blood pressure and cholesterol down.

Dr Hélène Wilson of the British Heart Foundation, which part-funded the work, said: “Coronary heart disease is the cause of heart attacks, which claim the lives of around 50,000 UK men every year. Lifestyle choices such as poor diet and smoking are major causes, but inherited factors carried in DNA are also part of the picture. The next step is to identify specifically which genes are responsible and how they might increase heart attack risk.”

Source: BBC News UK

MedicsPro – Medical Recruitment Specialists