Enlarged hearts are found often, but not exclusively, in those who are obese, have diabetes or high blood pressure. People with none of these underlying problems can be affected, as can elite athletes.  For example, a post-mortem diagnosed the problem in Cameroon football midfielder Marc-Vivien Foe, who died in 2003 after collapsing during an international match in France. Elite runner Olympic hopeful Ryan Shay died of complications involving an enlarged heart – the very condition that made him a great runner.
An international  research team headed up by Imperial College, UK say they have for the first time linked enlarged hearts with a gene, …read more

Cardiomyocytes 
Stem cells have been used to create heart cells under lab conditions by researchers from the McEwen Centre for Regenerative Medicine in Toronto.
By supplying the right growth factors at the right time, they encouraged the cells to grow into immature versions of three different types of cardiac cell.
The three cell types they created – cardiomyocytes, endothelial cells and vascular smooth muscle cells – are each important constituents of heart muscle.
Lead reseracher Dr Gordon Keller says
“The immediate impact of this is significant as we now have an unlimited supply of these cells to study how they develop, how they function and …read more

G&H’s INTERVIEW WITH NAVIGENICS
Navigenics approached Genetics and Health for an interview. With so much written about similar genomics companies such as 23andme, Knome, deCODE genetics, I was intrigued to learn more about this company.  In particular, Navigenics appears to be the only company within this industry genre who provides a comprehensive wellness model – a healthcare model that Opaldia, the genetic screening and health surveillance company I founded, endorsed whole-heartedly. 
I interviewed Navigenics’ Medical Director Dr Michael A Nierenberg MD, clinical professor of medicine, emeritus at Stanford University to find out what makes Navigenics stand out amongst its competition.  He was …read more

Peripheral artery disease image showing ‘furring up’ of arteries 
Peripheral vascular disease (PVD) can affect the arteries, the veins or the lymph vessels. The most common and important type of PVD is peripheral artery disease, which affects about 8 million Americans.  It becomes more common as a person gets older, and by age 65, about 12 to 20 % of the population has it. Diagnosis is critical, as people with peripheral artery disease have a four to five times higher risk of heart attack or stroke. 
Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) results from fatty deposits (plaque) that build up in the arteries outside the heart (peripheral arteries); mainly the …read more

 (Courtesy Daniel P Urban DDS) 
More than 12,000 people were interviewed in their homes and questioned about snoring.
It is estimated that about 40% of adult males and 24% of adult females are habitual snorers.  For several years now, scientists have been aware of a relationship between snoring and cardiovascular disease.  However a team of Hungarian scientists interviewed 12,000 patients to assess any correlation.
The research discovered that compared to the rest of the population, loud snorers had a 34% increased risk of having a heart attack, and a 67% greater chance of suffering a stroke.
The researchers say that loud snoring with breathing pauses …read more