Statin drugs cause eye disorders

"Want to lower cholesterol levels in hopes of preventing coronary heart disease and stroke? The odds are your doctor will probably prescribe a statin drug. In fact, a recent Forbes report found that from 11 million to 30 million Americans are already taking these drugs and many physicians argue another 25 million should be popping these pills daily. What's often lost in the hype about this class of drugs is the reality of the side effects - sometimes serious - associated with statins, including muscle pain, neurological disorders, rashes and liver problems. Now comes word of yet another downside to these supposedly 'magic bullets' for artery clogging cholesterol. A new study led by F.W. Fraunfelder, MD, of the Casey Eye Institute of Oregon Health and Science University, is the first to systematically report on eye disorders caused by statin use. The results are published in the December issue of Ophthalmology, the journal of the American Academy of Ophthalmology" - Natural News

Gene mutation protects heart

"A few lucky individuals have a gene that protects the heart from the effects of fatty food, research suggests. The discovery could lead to new treatments for heart disease, scientists believe. US investigators studied the DNA of more than 800 members of the Old Order Amish community, who are genetically similar and whose ancestry is easily traced. About 5% of the volunteers from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, had a gene mutation that reduced levels of triglyceride fats in the blood and helped prevent heart disease. The gene, known as APOC3, produces a protein, apoC-III, that normally inhibits the breakdown of triglycerides. The fatty particles are associated with hardening and narrowing of the arteries." - Channel 4 News

Woman, 79, to tattoo 'do not resuscitate' on chest

"At 79, Dunedin (New Zealand) woman Paula Westoby wants doctors and medical emergency workers to be under no illusions about what to do if she has a stroke or heart attack. Today Ms Westoby will become one of the oldest people in the country to be tattooed when she has the words `Do not resuscitate" tattooed on her chest. Ms Westoby, the Dunedin coordinator of the euthanasia group Exit, said she wanted to die with dignity and when she decided. She said she was excited and nervous about being tattooed but it was also part of the campaign to change the law to allow people to choose when they died."

- NZ Herald

One in three adults obese by London 2012

One in three adults in England will be obese within four years, placing considerable strain on the NHS, latest projections show. Researchers from University College London claim that 13 million adults in England will be classified as obese by the time London hosts the Olympic Games, as defined by their body mass index. Researchers, publishing their findings in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, arrived at their findings by analysing trends in obesity between 1993 and 2004. Analysis of the Health Survey for England, which includes data on 128,000 households - including occupation and social class - found that half of those who will be obese in 2012 will be from low income and disadvantaged communities, "widening the health gap between the haves and have-nots even further".

- inthenews.co.uk

Heart attack danger for mums who live with parents

"Mothers who live with either their or their partner's parents are at a threefold risk of heart disease, research shows. A 14-year study conducted in Japan found that women aged between 40 and 69 were three times as likely to be diagnosed with coronary heart disease if they lived with their children and their parents/parents-in-law. "The stress of fulfilling multiple roles as daughter/daughter-in-law, mother and partner probably has a deleterious effect on heart health," the report authors suggest. "Over the long term, this is likely to boost levels of stress hormones and inflammatory proteins, which in turn may strengthen the effects of other risk factors, such as high blood pressure, or diabetes." None of the participants in the study, published in Heart, had been diagnosed with any serious illness, such as cancer, heart disease, or stroke"

Heart beats in Monterey County diagnosed in Japan

"Reyes Mendoza breathed deeply, listening to music as an MRI scanned his heart Tuesday. In the next room, Dr. Timothy Albert, a cardiac specialist with Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare System, and a lab technician looked on as three-dimensional images appeared on the computer. Joining them through video conference more than 5,000 miles and 17 hours away in Japan, Dr. Bei Xhang looked at the same images and manipulated the MRI to capture more scans of Mendoza's heart and arteries. "There is definitely an art to it," Albert said of the MRI's ability to take detailed images of beating hearts, blood flow, and the body's network of blood vessels. The scan was the first time SVMH and its partner, electronics company Toshiba, connected remotely with another doctor through the new MRI at SVMH's Cardiovascular Diagnostic Center at Ryan Ranch, said Bob Giegerich, director of Toshiba's MRI business unit." - Salinas Californian

Prostate therapy doesn't up heart risk

Treating prostate cancer patients by blocking hormonal activity does not appear to increase their risk of cardiovascular disease, U.S. researchers say. Researchers at the Massachusetts General Hospital said that since the male hormones - androgens - can accelerate the development of prostate cancer, reducing their activity is a standard part of treating the disease. The study is published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology

Panic attack may raise heart attack risk

"A new study has found that people who suffer from panic attacks or panic disorder have a greater risk of subsequently developing heart disease or suffering a heart attack than the normal population, with higher rates occurring in younger people. Researchers in the UK found that people who were younger than 50 when first diagnosed had a significantly higher risk of subsequent heart attacks, but this was not the case in older people. They also found there was a significantly higher incidence of subsequent coronary heart disease in people diagnosed with panic attacks/disorder at all ages, but this was more marked in the under 50s. However, their study also showed that the risk of dying from CHD was actually reduced amongst people of all ages who had been diagnosed with panic attacks/disorder. The study is published in Europe's leading cardiology journal, the European Heart Journal" - Newstrack India

EUROECHO 2008

EUROECHO 2008 is the twelfth Annual Meeting of the European Association of Echocardiography, a Registered Branch of the ESC, organised in cooperation with the Working Group on Echocardiography of the French Society of Cardiology - 10-13 December 2008 -Lyon, France

Hands-Only CPR needs no breaths

A new type of CPR is gaining respect as a potential lifesaver and could make CPR more attractive to people who are reluctant to put their lips to the mouths of sudden cardiac-arrest victims. The method, known by such names as Hands-Only CPR and Compression-Only CPR, involves continuous pumping of the chest without stopping to give breaths. It is backed up by research and was endorsed earlier this year by the American Heart Association as a way to assist adult victims of cardiac arrest. After reviewing several studies, the association's Emergency Cardiovascular Care Committee issued a Call to Action in the spring promoting Hands-Only

Exercise does the elderly body good

"Exercise can't stop the aging process, but experts at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston say that for the elderly, whether it's weight training, walking, swimming or biking, 30 minutes of exercise three to five times a week is a good prescription. Resistance weight training has been shown to be the best way to reduce the loss of lean muscle, said Dr. Robert Roush, an associate professor of medicine-geriatrics at BCM. Resistance training also increases cardiovascular fitness and it makes your bones stronger, too. Exercise can improve your overall health, reduce stress, help weight control, provide arthritis relief and help you get a better night's rest. If you are not already active, you should start slowly. Begin with exercises that you are already comfortable doing. Starting slowly makes it less likely that you will injure yourself. And one should always warm up, cool down, and stretch before and after any exercise routine. Once you start, watch for warning signs like dizziness, excessive shortness of breath or pain or pressure in the chest while exercising or shortly thereafter." - redOrbit

All fats not equal when it comes to weight

"Saturated fats from butter, cream and meat, as well as trans fats found in hydrogenated oils can boost heart disease risk, a Canadian researcher said. However, consuming monounsaturated fat - nuts, avocados, olive oil, flaxseed oil, grape seed oil - can be good for the heart, a University of Montreal researcher said. "Research on animals and some clinical trials show that not all fats have the same effect on weight," Nadiah Moussavi, a graduate student from the University of Montreal said in a statement. Using statistics from the U.N. World Health Organization, Moussavi studied the prevalence of obesity in women age 15 and older. The study found that in the countries where monounsaturated fats, such as found in olive oil, formed an integral part of the diet, no or few people were found to be overweight. Countries where the obesity rate was high and the consumption of monounsaturated fat low included Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Peru. Countries such as France, Denmark and Italy showed an ideal portrait - low rates of obesity with a high consumption of mono-unsaturated fats, Moussavi said. Thirty-eight percent U.S. women were obese and ate 152.2 grams of fat daily, of which 45.9 grams were monounsaturated. Moussavi said family history, amount of exercise, consumption of fruit and vegetables also play a role. "Our study shows that the consumption of mono-unsaturated fats and maybe other fats also play a role," Moussavi said in a statement" - UPI

Modified protein heart attack hope

"Modifying a natural protein found in narrowed arteries could help prevent heart attacks and strokes, new research suggests. The protein, N-cadherin, helps cells stick together and build up scaly deposits on artery walls. These 'plaques' are then liable to rupture, with dangerous consequences. A thicker blockage can result when the rupture site seals over, and the fatty particles released may become lodged in blood vessels, leading to heart attacks or strokes. Scientists in Bristol have now produced a smaller, soluble form of N-cadherin that has the ability to stabilise plaques, making them less likely to rupture. The research, funded by the British Heart Foundation, is reported in the journal Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis And Vascular Biology" - MSN

Jill's triplets - born Friday, September 5, 2008

Here is a photo of Jill's little bundles of joy. Jill is an exercise therapist with CARG. Casey is on the left, Maggie in the middle, and Mitchell on the right. They were born Friday, September 5, 2008. For a full-size photo, click here

E-connect: Saskatoon Health Region's employee newsletter 3/21

E-connect: Saskatoon Health Region's employee newsletter volume 3, issue 21, December 1, 2008 is now available online