Tuesday, August 16, 2005
Cocoa fights heart disease
Aug 12 (HeartCenterOnline) - A cup of cocoa may actually be good for your heart, according to researchers in Great Britain.
Chocolate and cocoa have long been used as medicines. In fact, cocoa was originally marketed as a health tonic in the United States - and it appears there is an element of truth to the folk wisdom.
Cocoa is rich in flavonoids, which have been shown to inhibit blood clotting. This may reduce the risk of conditions caused by abnormal blood clotting, such as heart attack and stroke. Flavonoids are the same substance found in red wine, which also has been shown to have cardioprotective effects.
According to researchers, the discovery that flavonoids may help prevent blood clotting may lead to new medications, or "it may also mean that a nice hot cup of cocoa may take on new importance for people in high risk categories, " according to Dr. Denise O'Shaughnessy, who was quoted in a release describing the study.
The research was presented at the Congress of the International Society on Thrombosis & Haemostasis.
Copyright 2000-2005 (HealthCentersOnline)
Publish Date: August 12, 2005
Surgery extends mortality in cardiomyopathy
Aug 05 (HeartCenterOnline) - Patients with an abnormally thickened heart, or a condition known as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, appear to live longer after having surgery, according to a new study.
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy occurs when the walls of the heart, particularly the muscular wall that separates the chambers (the septum) are abnormally thickened. As a result, blood flow in the heart is reduced, causing symptoms such as shortness of breath, chest pain, dizziness or fainting. It severe cases, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy may cause sudden cardiac death. It is the most common cause of sudden death during athletic events.
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy may be treated with a surgery called a myectomy, in which a portion of the thickened muscle is removed surgically. Numerous studies have shown that patients report feeling better after the surgery, but until now, no studies had been conducted showing a benefit to lifespan after myectomy.
Researchers from Mayo Clinic conducted a retrospective study of 1,337 patients evaluated at the clinic between 1983 and 2001. Of them, 228 had hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and had undergone myectomy. Another 228 had the condition but did not have surgery. The remaining patients had the condition, but suffered from no obstruction to their blood flow.
Researchers found that, within 10 years of diagnosis, almost 40 percent of patients who did not have surgery had died. By contrast, only 17 percent of patients who had undergone surgery had died. This death rate is the same as normal health patients, meaning that the mortality rate for myectomy patients was statistically the same as patients with non-obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy or people in the general population of the same age and gender.
In a release describing the unpublished study, researchers remarked that patients undergoing myectomy can now be assured that the surgery has a good chance of extending their lifespans.
Copyright 2000-2005 (HealthCentersOnline)
Publish Date: August 05, 2005
Aug 12 (HeartCenterOnline) - A cup of cocoa may actually be good for your heart, according to researchers in Great Britain.
Chocolate and cocoa have long been used as medicines. In fact, cocoa was originally marketed as a health tonic in the United States - and it appears there is an element of truth to the folk wisdom.
Cocoa is rich in flavonoids, which have been shown to inhibit blood clotting. This may reduce the risk of conditions caused by abnormal blood clotting, such as heart attack and stroke. Flavonoids are the same substance found in red wine, which also has been shown to have cardioprotective effects.
According to researchers, the discovery that flavonoids may help prevent blood clotting may lead to new medications, or "it may also mean that a nice hot cup of cocoa may take on new importance for people in high risk categories, " according to Dr. Denise O'Shaughnessy, who was quoted in a release describing the study.
The research was presented at the Congress of the International Society on Thrombosis & Haemostasis.
Copyright 2000-2005 (HealthCentersOnline)
Publish Date: August 12, 2005
Surgery extends mortality in cardiomyopathy
Aug 05 (HeartCenterOnline) - Patients with an abnormally thickened heart, or a condition known as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, appear to live longer after having surgery, according to a new study.
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy occurs when the walls of the heart, particularly the muscular wall that separates the chambers (the septum) are abnormally thickened. As a result, blood flow in the heart is reduced, causing symptoms such as shortness of breath, chest pain, dizziness or fainting. It severe cases, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy may cause sudden cardiac death. It is the most common cause of sudden death during athletic events.
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy may be treated with a surgery called a myectomy, in which a portion of the thickened muscle is removed surgically. Numerous studies have shown that patients report feeling better after the surgery, but until now, no studies had been conducted showing a benefit to lifespan after myectomy.
Researchers from Mayo Clinic conducted a retrospective study of 1,337 patients evaluated at the clinic between 1983 and 2001. Of them, 228 had hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and had undergone myectomy. Another 228 had the condition but did not have surgery. The remaining patients had the condition, but suffered from no obstruction to their blood flow.
Researchers found that, within 10 years of diagnosis, almost 40 percent of patients who did not have surgery had died. By contrast, only 17 percent of patients who had undergone surgery had died. This death rate is the same as normal health patients, meaning that the mortality rate for myectomy patients was statistically the same as patients with non-obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy or people in the general population of the same age and gender.
In a release describing the unpublished study, researchers remarked that patients undergoing myectomy can now be assured that the surgery has a good chance of extending their lifespans.
Copyright 2000-2005 (HealthCentersOnline)
Publish Date: August 05, 2005
