In some cases of heart failure, it is thought to be linked to ones own immune system in that it causes damaging inflammation to its own tissue. This then weakens the heart even further and inhibits its contractility and efficiency.

The Methodist Hospital in Houston, Texas has completed a study on over 1000 participants. They have attempted to reduce inflammation by “damping down” ones immune system.

The method involved taking blood from the patients, and exposing it to chemicals designed to change some of the body’s own immune signals, and boost anti-inflammatory signals. This kind of approach is called “immunomodulation”.

In certain patients with heart failure, the ones that did not have a heart attack, there was between 25% and 39% decrease in risk of death. That is certainly marginal enough to warrant more research. I suspect that we will see more of this in the near future.

via BBC.com

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Immune Therapy For Heart Failure Patients

The autopsy results for Kanye West’s mother Donda have been released. Donda died on Nov. 10, the day after having extensive plastic surgery performed on her by a Dr. Jan Adams, who was not board certified in plastic surgery. The official results of the autopsy state that Donda died as a result of a heart attack. There was no evidence that her death occurred due to anesthesia or or the surgery itself.

via A Socialites Life

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No One Is Above Heart Disease… Not Even Donde West!

Researchers at the University of Auckland examined the effects of calcium supplementation on heart attacks stroke and sudden death. 1,471 healthy post-menopausal women aged 55 years or over took part in the study. And just what did they find?

Dietary calcium intake was assessed and women were seen every six months over five years. Adverse events were recorded at each visit. Heart attacks were more commonly reported in the calcium group. The occurrence of any three vascular events (heart attack, stroke or sudden death) was also more common in this group.

The results are somewhat disturbing, don’t you think? I am sure that further research will take place on this subject. If these findings were to be accurate and correct then the increased risk of a heart attack would certainly out way the benefits of bone health!

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Calcium Increases Ones Chance Of A Heart Attack???

The role of anxiety in hiking heart attack risk also goes beyond the effects of depression, anger, hostility, Type A behavior and other negative emotions. “These psychological factors are important in predicting the risk of heart disease, but anxiety is unique,” Dr. Shen said. “Older men with sustained and pervasive anxiety appear to be at increased risk for a heart attack even after their levels of depression, anger, hostility and Type A behavior are considered.”

And obviously the silver lining… anxiety is treatable. As more research like this takes place I believe that therapy, behavior modifications and anti anxiety drugs will become more accepted. And boy am I glad! I strongly support such things, as y’all know. While they did not examine the same effects of women in this study, researchers stated that it is on the horizon.

via American College of Cardiology.

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Anxiety Grossly Increases Your Risk Of A Heart Attack- No Worries Though

Do you think celebrities get preferential treatment in the hospitals? I bet they do, but I guess that is how the cookie crumbles.

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Jeopardy Host Alex Trebek Suffers A Heart Attack

Depression linked to death following heart attack…Depression nearly triples the risk of death following a heart attack, even when accounting for other heart attack risk factors, according to research presented today at the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ACNP) annual meeting, which showed that among 360 depressed, post myocardial infarction patients followed for more than six years, those who did not recover from their depression in the first six months were more than twice as likely to die.

Implanting Embryonic cardiac cells prevents arrhythmias-The most dangerous consequence of heart attacks…When researchers at Cornell, the University of Bonn and the University of Pittsburgh transplanted living embryonic heart cells into cardiac tissue of mice that had suffered heart attacks, the mice became resistant to cardiac arrhythmias, thereby avoiding one of the most dangerous and fatal consequences of heart attacks.

Blood transfusions linked to surgery complications in women… Women die and get infections more often than men after heart surgery because they tend to receive more blood transfusions, which boost the risks of bad outcomes, according to a study published in the December Journal of Women’s Health.

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Some Interesting Hearty Links

It seems that now researchers are suggesting that transfusions among bypass surgery patients are not as favorable as we thought…

The research found patients who received a red blood cell transfusion experienced a three-fold increase in complications arising from lack of oxygen to key organs — such as in a heart attack or stroke. This is a finding at odds with the widely held belief that red cell transfusion improves delivery of oxygen to tissues.

These findings were regardless of hemoglobin levels. Over half of all heart surgery patients receive a blood transfusion during surgery as standard protocol. Next up would be more research to see if changing the parameters and guidelines makes a difference or if this is coincidental research findings.

via Science Daily

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Red Blood Cell Transfusions Prove To Have An Adverse Effect On Heart Surgery Patients

Physicians in the emergency department should become familiar with this drug because of its emerging trend toward its use, advise the case report’s authors. Although it was once thought that the drug does not cause dependency and adverse side effects, this belief has been overturned by many reports of side effects in recent literature, the report further explains.

via Science Daily

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Ecstasy Causing Heart Attacks Much Like Meth

1. Ok, Siddy… what does your heart do?

“Beats. It runs your body by the veins and blood”

2. How big is your heart?

“As big as this.” (she put her fist up) “Daddy’s must be bigger then yours cause he is taller and has a bigger fist.”

3. Does your heart ever take a brake?

“Yes, when I sleep. Wait, it does… it has to. No it can’t. I don’t know mommy?”

4. What is a heart attack?

“Your heart gets a boo boo and you have to take needles.”

5. What keeps your heart healthy?

“Fruits and veggies. Running, walking and all exercise. When you love people. And raisins make it healthy!”

She is so darn cute sometimes. She did pretty good. That’s what you get when you have a nurse for a mommy. Haha.

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Cardiac Quiz With My 5 Year Old Daughter

The results add panic attacks to the list of emotions and psychiatric symptoms that have already been linked to cardiovascular risk, including depression, anger and hostility, the authors note. Panic attacks could be associated with other cardiovascular risk factors, such as hypertension. Alternatively, anxiety could contribute to adverse cardiovascular effects, such as coronary artery spasm, tendency toward increased blood clotting or disturbances in heart rhythm.

The study concentrated on post menopausal women over 5 years. There is a need for further research to examine the exact link between panic attacks and cardiac events. Psychiatry is so interesting. What came first the chicken or the egg? Does mental occurrences trigger physical or physical events cause mental? I will keep you posted on this one!

via Science Daily

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Panic Attacks In Women Directly Linked To Cardiac Events