Search Results for: smoking

Atrial fibrillation (irregular heartbeat) risk is higher with poor sleep in elderly, according to research findings. The researchers examined three sources of data to isolate and confirm the impact of inadequate sleep on atrial fibrillation. The researchers found that disrupted sleep may be an independent risk factor for atrial fibrillation. People who reported frequent nighttime ...click here to read more

If diabetes isn’t well managed, it can lead to health complications such as retinopathy and even neuropathy, among others. It’s important then that diabetics take the necessary steps in order to reduce the risk of developing these complications. Researcher Dr. Gregory Moneta explained, “Diabetes is one of the strongest risk factors for any form of ...click here to read more

Stand tall and proud and consider this: In many ways, our bones define who we are. They give us our size and shape, they also keep us moving and upright. We wouldn’t get very far without them – but when was the last time we did our bones a solid favor and investigated our bone ...click here to read more

The heart has valves and chambers to allow blood to enter and be released in order for the body to work. Major heart valves are the aortic valve, tricuspid valve, and the mitral valve. These valves play important roles and a problem with any of them can affect one’s heart health. One issue in particular is ...click here to read more

Flu season is here, and as you know, your number one defense against the virus is your annual flu shot. Last year’s flu vaccine was highly effective, but mind you, warmer temperatures of the previous winter kept the flu virus at bay as well. This year, the Farmer’s Almanac is calling for lower temperatures and ...click here to read more

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a sudden episode of acute kidney failure or kidney damage that takes place within a few hours or days. As a result, there is a buildup of waste in the bloodstream which impairs the kidneys’ ability to maintain the proper balance of fluids in the body. As a result, other ...click here to read more

Gut bacteria play an important role in determining the risk of developing wet age-related macular degeneration. Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of irreversible blindness affecting over 10 million people in North America alone. AMD comes in wet and dry types, with wet AMD being the leading cause of blindness. Over time, treatments ...click here to read more

Bone health in postmenopausal women can be improved with menopausal hormone therapy. Study first author Georgios Papadakis explained, “When used in the right context, specifically in postmenopausal women younger than 60 years old for whom the benefits outweigh risks, menopausal hormonal therapy is effective for both the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis.” Osteoporosis is a ...click here to read more

First heart attack or stroke risk is decreased in patients using cholesterol-lowering drugs known as statins. Statins were effective at reducing the risk of death, heart attack, and stroke among people with various risk factors. The benefits of statins were greatest for people facing the highest risk of heart attacks and stroke. Even still, those ...click here to read more

Dementia and cognitive decline may be delayed by preventing cardiovascular disease and diabetes. This is important as more people are living longer with diabetes, as obesity rates continue to rise, and more people are living with chronic heart disease. A decline in cognitive function can be considered a precursor to impending dementia in older adults. ...click here to read more

Coronary heart disease risk increases by 24 percent with high intake of saturated fats. Foods rich in saturated fat include butter, red meat, lard, and palm oil. The researchers suggest that replacing saturated fat with unsaturated fat could help lower the risk of coronary heart disease. Senior author Qi Sun explained, “Our findings strongly corroborate ...click here to read more

Sleep apnea has an immediate impact on blood pressure regulation and deteriorate the circulatory system. The study found six hours of fluctuating oxygen levels associated with sleep apnea can deteriorate a person’s circulatory system. Researcher Glen Foster explained, “While it is well established that sleep apnea is linked to high blood pressure, our study shows ...click here to read more

High blood pressure may impair cognitive function, increasing the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. There is consistent evidence that chronic high blood pressure can impair cognitive function, affecting memory, thinking abilities, speed of processing, and executive function. According to the expert panel, the contradicting research on the link between high blood pressure and cognitive function points ...click here to read more

Tachycardia is an abnormally fast resting heart rate. A normal resting heart rate is between 60 and 100 beats per minute, which means anything over 100 is considered tachycardia. Heart rate threshold is often determined by a person’s age. The older we get, the less the heart pumps depending on what the body can handle. ...click here to read more