Effects of walking on coronary heart disease in elderly men
Findings from the Honolulu Heart Program, which targeted physically capable elderly men, suggest that the risk of CHD is reduced with increases in distance walked. This suggests that important health benefits could be derived by encouraging the elderly to walk...
Long term exercise and atherogenic activity of blood mononuclear cells in persons at risk of developing ischemic heart disease
In participants of this study who exercised for a mean of 2.5 hours a wee, the production of atherogenic cytokines fell by 58% and atheroprotective cytokines rose by 36%. Long-term exercise decreases the net atherogenic potential of the circulating blood mononuclear cells and this may be a mechanism whereby physical activity protects against ischemic heart disease....
Exercise training enhances endothelial function in young men
This study has shown that endothelium-dependent responses in the brachial artery of healthy young men can be improved after just 10 weeks of regular physical exercise of an intensity that might be reasonably undertaken by the general population...
Predicting cardiovascular risk using conventional vs. ambulatory blood pressure in older patients with systolic hypertension
In untreated older patients with isolated systolic hypertension, ambulatory systolic blood pressure was a significant predictor of cardiovascular risk over conventional blood pressure...
Three studies on effect of oral contraceptives on incidence of myocardial infarction
Three studies dealing with the possible increase of myocardial infarction among women who use oral contraceptives...
Effects of mental stress on myocardial ischemia during daily life
Mental stress is a common trigger of myocardial ischemia during activities of daily living. Negative emotions were associated with a 2-fold greater risk of myocardial ischemia during activities of daily living in patients with stable CAD...
Vitamin C improves endothelium-dependent vasolatation in forearm resistance vessels of humans with hypercholesterolemia
Vitamin C improves endothelium-dependant vasodilatation in the forearm resistance vessels of patients with hypercholesterolemia...
Increasing tobacco hazards in China
The main increase in cigarette consumption in China took place recently (mean cigarette consumption 1 in 1952 to 10 in 1992). By 1990 smoking was already casing 12% of Chinese adult male deaths, that would corresponds to 0.7 million male tobacco related deaths for the year 2000.
Perceived risk of heart disease and cancer among cigarette smokers
Even though the negative health effects of smoking are well know, many smokers discount their risk (optimistic bias). This study assesses smokers' assessment of their risk of myocardial infarction and cancer...
Effect of pravastatin on cardiovascular events in older patients with myocardial infarction and cholesterol levels in the average range
Pravastatin reduced risk for major coronary events in patients with average cholesterol levels by 32% compared to placebo, and reduced risk for stroke by 40% over five years...
Prevention of cardiovascular events and death with pravastatin in patients with coronary heart disease
After follow-up, the incidence of adverse cardiac events and all cause mortality was significantly lower in patients treated with pravastatin. The benefit was apparent in patients who did not have high cholesterol levels at baseline...
Effect of cholesterol reduction on myocardial ischemia in patients with coronary disease
Cholesterol lowering with lovastatin appears to be effective in eliminating myocardial ischemia during daily life in a significant proportion of patients...
Global burden of diabetes
The global prevalence of diabetes in adults was estimated to be 4% in 1995, and was projected to rise to 5.4% by the year 2025. The number of adults with diabetes is estimated to rise from 135 million in 1995 to 300 million in the year 2025...
Mortality from coronary heart disease in subjects with type 2 diabetes and in nondiabetic subjects with and without prior myocardial infarction
Fatality rate for first myocardial infarction is higher in diabetic than nondiabetic patients (45% men and 39% in women with diabetes, 38% men and 25% in women without diabetes). This population would not have the chance to benefit from secondary prevention therapies, indicating that aggressive risk factor reduction should be offered to prevent the first myocardial infarction...
Intensive insulin treatment on long term survival after acute myocardial infarction in patients with diabetes mellitus
The authors of this study have already demonstrated a 30% reduction in one-year mortality among this group of patients randomized to intensive insulin therapy. In this report, they extend patient follow-up to 3.4 years...
Variations between countries in invasive cardiac procedures and outcomes in patients
This study investigates the relationship between the use of catheterization and revascularization and the rates of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, stroke, refractory angina, and major bleeding. The results suggest that a policy of routine and early invasive procedures in patients with unstable angina pectoris or non-Q-wave myocardial infarction may not be beneficial....
Fifteen-year follow-up of smoking prevention effects
Beginning in 1978, this study exposed 12 and 13 year old students to a smoking prevention program over a 2-year period. At completion of the program, mean prevalence of all smokers was 30% and 41% in the intervention and control schools, respectively...
Effects of intensive blood-pressure lowering and low-dose aspirin in patients with hypertension
In patients with diabetes mellitus there was a 51% reduction in major cardiovascular events in the target group with blood pressure <80 mm Hg. The use of aspirin (160 mg/day) reduced major cardiovascular events by 15% and all myocardial infarctions by 36%...
Twenty-two year follow-up of coronary bypass surgery for stable angina
The authors concluded that there was early survival benefit in the surgical group, but ultimately the surgical group had twice as many procedures without long-term reduction in mortality.
Effects of dietary patterns on blood pressure
After a control typical American diet, patients were assigned to receive either a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, or a "combination" diet rich in fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy products, and with reduced saturated and total fat. The combination diet reduced systolic and diastolic BP by 5.5 mm Hg and 3.0 mm Hg, respectively, as compared to the control diet...
