British Heart Foundation - new website

The British Heart Foundation has a new website to make it easier for you to navigate and find the information you want

Heart stenting on the rise in Canada

The number of Canadians having blocked heart arteries opened with a non-surgical procedure more than doubled between 1994 and 2005, mirroring trends seen in the U.S., Europe and elsewhere, according to a new study. It is unclear whether the increase reflects appropriate use of the procedure, called angioplasty, or has been "too great" - or possibly not great enough - said lead researcher Dr. Ansar Hassan, of Saint John Regional Hospital in Canada. During angioplasty, a balloon-tipped catheter is threaded into a clogged artery to push blockages aside; usually a small mesh tube called a stent is placed in the artery to help keep it from re-narrowing. For the study, published in the American Heart Journal, Hassan and his colleagues looked at government data on all cases of angioplasty and heart bypass surgery - another option for treating blocked heart arteries - across Canada - Reuters

High salt levels in ready made Sunday lunch warning (UK)

"Including too many ready-made items in a Sunday roast could lead to excessive salt intake, says research from a health charity. In a survey of 600 supermarket products, Consensus Action on Salt and Health (CASH) found that unnecessary amounts of salt are being hidden in certain items of prepared food. But cooking and preparing fresh food reduces levels dramatically, it says. UK supermarkets say they are leading the way in salt reduction in Europe. Consensus Action on Salt and Health (CASH) said a family Sunday roast can be a "balanced and healthy" meal. But it found that choosing all ready-made products for a typical Sunday lunch - meat, vegetables and condiments - could result in nearly 10 grams of salt being consumed. An adult's daily maximum recommended salt intake is 6g" - BBC

Half of Europeans are overweight, a report shows

"Over half of adults living in the European Union countries are now overweight or obese according to a report. The rate of obesity has more than doubled over the past 20 years in most EU member states, international experts say. The UK comes out worst, shortly followed by Ireland and Malta, where a quarter of the population is obese. World experts meet this week to discuss how to reverse the "worrying trend". The European Commission and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) who compiled the Health at a Glance Europe 2010 report believe the key to success is encouraging children to adopt healthy habits"

Small daily aspirin dose 'cuts cancer risk' (UK)

"A small daily dose of aspirin - 75mg - substantially reduces death rates from a range of common cancers, a study suggests. Research at Oxford University and other centres found that it cut overall cancer deaths by at least a fifth. The study, published in the Lancet, covered some 25,000 patients, mostly from the UK. Experts say the findings show aspirin's benefits often outweighed its associated risk of causing bleeding. Aspirin is already known to cut the risk of heart attack and stroke among those at increased risk. But the protective effects against cardiovascular disease are thought to be small for healthy adults, and aspirin increases the risks of stomach and gut bleeds. However, this latest research shows that when weighing up the risks and benefits of taking aspirin, experts should also consider its protective effect against cancer. Those patients who were given aspirin had a 25% lower risk of death from cancer during the trial period and a 10% reduction in death from any cause compared to patients who were not given the drug" - BBC

Peter Guzak obituary

Peter Guzak. May 21, 1925 to November 27, 2010. It is with deepest sorrow we announce the passing of our beloved husband, father, grandfather, uncle and friend Peter Guzak which occurred at St. Paul's Hospital on Saturday, November 27, 2010 after a seven week battle with Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS). Peter is survived by his wife, Frances of 55 years; daughters, Dinys (Calvin) Reed and Jennifer Guzak and granddaughter, Allysen (Jarred) Romich; and numerous nieces and nephews. He is also survived by his brother, Mike Guzak and sister, Mary Kaplan, both of Edmonton. Peter was predeceased by his parents, Nettie and Wasyl Guzak and sister, Annie Crowder. Peter was born on a farm in the Blaine Lake area where he took his schooling and worked until he joined the RCAF in 1943 until 1946, when he was honorably discharged, for medical reasons. He spent numerous times in the Sanitoria. He resumed his education culminating with registration as a Medical Laboratory Technician. He worked at that profession from 1957 at the Fort Qu' Appelle Indian Hospital as a lab supervisor and finally as Hospital Administrator until his retirement in 1988. Peter enjoyed working in the community, he spent 16 years as Town Councilor, was a member of the Recreation Committee when the Rexcenter was built in Fort Qu' Appelle, was a member of the Lions Club for several years. Provincially he was a founding member of the Saskatchewan Homecare Association. He was a chairperson of the Touchwood Qu' Appelle Home Care Board and a member of the Board for Echo Lodge. He was an avid pet lover who always had a cat or a dog. He enjoyed spending summers with family at the cottage and in Waskesiu, fishing and camping and chasing the little white ball around the course. He also loved to travel to Hawaii and spent many vacations there. Family was important to him and he will be forever loved and sadly missed. Peter's family would like to express their heartfelt gratitude to the nurses and the Doctors of St. Paul's ICU for the exceptional care and compassion they gave him and us. A Memorial Service for Peter will be Friday, December 3, 2010 at 1:30 p.m. at Saskatoon Funeral Home. Email condolences may be sent to mail@saskatoonfuneralhome.com. Arrangements are entrusted to SASKATOON FUNERAL HOME. 244-5577

Elsie Asher obituary

Elsie Asher. September 7, 1931 December 2, 2010. It is with sadness we announce the passing of Elsie on Thursday, December 2, 2010 after a brief illness. Elsie was predeceased by mother, Dora; father, Joseph; sister, Lena; brother-in-law, Johnny Angielski; and sisterin-law, Mary-Lou Proznick. She is survived by son, Daryl (Jane) Asher and grandchildren Liam, Kathryn; sister, Mary Angielski; brothers, Fred (Olga) Proznick, Paul (Emily) Proznick, Elmer Proznick, Nick Proznick; and numerous nieces and nephews. For Elsie, her friends and the relationships she built over the years were everything. She loved life, thrived on banter and always had a joke for you hoping you would return one back! Elsie was always there to help. She enjoyed crafts and baking and would always have a special something for friends and relatives alike. Elsie had a special love for children and would do anything to put a smile on their faces. After retiring Elsie chose to help others and for 14 years volunteered with Home Care. This choice brought her much joy and fulfillment our beloved Elsie made a difference in the lives she touched. Sincere thanks for the compassionate care provided by the management and staff of the Prairie Springs Care Home. In lieu of flowers donations to the Cancer Society are appreciated. Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Tuesday, December 7, 2010 at 10:00 a.m. at St Philip Neri Roman Catholic Church (1902 Munroe Ave, Saskatoon), celebrated by Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Banahene. Rite of Committal will follow in Woodlawn Catholic Cemetery. To send online condolences to the family, visit www.parkfuneral.ca . Arrangements are entrusted to Derryl Hildebrandt, Park Funeral Chapel, 306.244.2103

Healthy People 2020 (USA)

Healthy People 2020 launched on December 2, 2010. Healthy People 2020 strives to:

* Identify nationwide health improvement priorities.
* Increase public awareness and understanding of the determinants of health, disease, and disability and the opportunities for progress.
* Provide measurable objectives and goals that are applicable at the national, State, and local levels.
* Engage multiple sectors to take actions to strengthen policies and improve practices that are driven by the best available evidence and knowledge.
* Identify critical research, evaluation, and data collection needs.

Eating vegetables, fruits as children linked to healthier arteries as adults

"Children who consistently eat lots of fruits and vegetables lower their risk of having stiff arteries in young adulthood, according to research reported in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association. Arterial stiffness is associated with atherosclerosis, which underlies heart disease. When arteries are stiff, the heart works harder to pump blood. Researchers compared childhood and adulthood lifestyle factors - including consumption levels of vegetables, fruit, butter and alcohol, as well as smoking and physical activity status - with pulse wave velocity in young adulthood. Pulse wave velocity assesses arterial stiffness. 'When the heart beats, the blood's ejection causes a pulse wave, which travels along the wall of the arterial tree,' said Mika Kähönen, M.D., Ph.D., senior study author and professor and chief physician for the Department of Clinical Physiology at Tampere University Hospital in Tampere, Finland. 'The velocity of this pulse wave is dependent on the stiffness of the arterial wall; the stiffer the wall, the higher velocity. It is well known that the arterial stiffening process has a major role in the development of cardiovascular diseases. 'To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study looking at the associations between childhood lifestyle risk factors and pulse wave velocity in young adulthood.' The researchers examined lifestyle factors and measured arterial pulse wave velocity of 1,622 participants in the Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study, which followed children ages 3 to 18 for 27 years"

CARG Newsletter - December 2010

The CARG Newsletter - December 2010 is now available online

Fire Walk in London for The Stroke Association

Fire walking is the challenge of walking barefoot over hot coals, which can reach temperatures as hot as 1300°F! Full training for the fire walk will be provided by the Guinness World Record Holder for the longest fire walk so you'll be in the hands of an expert. The money you raise will help us work towards our vision of a world with fewer strokes and where those affected by stroke get the support they need. Friends, family and colleagues are welcome to watch you rise to the challenge and prove that you CAN stand the heat - February 25, 2011, London, UK

Leading causes of death in Canada in 2007

From Statistics Canada - "Cancer and heart disease, the two leading causes of death for Canadians, were responsible for just over one-half (51%) of the 235,217 deaths in Canada in 2007. Cancer accounted for 30% of deaths, and heart disease, 22%. Stroke, in third place, accounted for 6%. The proportion from cancer was up slightly from 2000, while the proportion from both heart disease and stroke declined. Ranked in order, the other seven leading causes of death were chronic lower respiratory diseases, accidents, diabetes, Alzheimer's disease, influenza and pneumonia, kidney disease and suicide. These 10 leading causes accounted for 77% of all deaths in 2007, down from 80% in 2000. The list has been identical since 2000, but the ranking has changed slightly. In 2000, suicide and kidney disease were ninth and tenth, respectively. By 2007, they had switched places"

Tiny blood vessels show pollution, heart disease link

"By photographing tiny blood vessels in a person's eyes, researchers have found a way to link exposure to air pollution with a higher risk of heart disease, a study published Tuesday said. "New digital photos of the retina revealed that otherwise healthy people exposed to high levels of air pollution had narrower retinal arterioles, an indication of a higher risk of heart disease," said the study in PLoS Medicine. A person who was exposed to low level of pollution in a short time period showed the microvascular - or extremely tiny -- blood vessels "of someone three years older," it said. Someone who faced longer term exposure to high levels of pollution had the blood vessels of someone seven years older, it said"

Snoring, sleep problems may signal heart risk

"People who snore loudly, have difficulty falling asleep, or often wake up feeling tired may have more to worry about than dozing off at work. A new study suggests they may also be at increased risk of developing heart disease and other health problems down the road. In the study, researchers at the University of Pittsburgh asked more than 800 people between the ages of 45 and 74 about the quality of their sleep. Three years later, the people who reported snoring loudly were more than twice as likely as quiet sleepers to have metabolic syndrome - a cluster of risk factors for heart disease, diabetes, and stroke that includes high blood pressure, high blood sugar, low "good" cholesterol, high triglycerides, and excess belly fat. People who had trouble falling asleep or who woke up feeling unrefreshed at least three times per week were about 80 percent and 70 percent more likely than their peers, respectively, to develop three or more of those risk factors, the study found. (A person must have three of the five risk factors to get a diagnosis of metabolic syndrome.)"

Study links older depression drugs to heart risk (UK)

"People who take a class of older anti-depressant drugs have an increased risk of heart disease, scientists said on Wednesday, but the risk is not increased with newer selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI). In a study of almost 15,000 people in Scotland, British researchers found that older so-called tricyclic anti-depressants, such as Norpramin made by Sanofi-Aventis, were linked with a 35 per cent increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease. "Given that anti-depressants, such as SSRIs, are now prescribed not only for depression, but for a wide range of conditions such as back pain, headache, anxiety and sleeping problems, the risks associated with anti-depressants have increasing relevance to the general population," said Mark Hamer of University College London, who led the study. Hamer said that while the older class of drugs had largely been overtaken in the treatment of depression by newer SSRIs such as Eli Lilly's LLY.N Prozac or GlaxoSmithKline's GSK.L