Genes linked to heart failure identified

Researchers have found the way for earlier identification of people at risk of heart failure and development of new treatments.

The research team applied an artificial intelligence (AI) technique to analyse the heart MRI images of 17,000 healthy UK Biobank volunteers and found that genetic factors accounted for 22-39 per cent of variation in the size and function of the heart’s left ventricle, the organ’s main pumping chamber.
Enlargement and reduced pumping function of the left ventricle can lead to heart failure, the study said.

“It is exciting that the state-of-the-art AI techniques now allow rapid and accurate measurement of the tens of thousands of heart MRI images required for genetic studies,” said study lead researcher.

“The findings open up the possibility of earlier identification of those at risk of heart failure and of new targeted treatments,”lead researcher said.

The research, suggests that genetic factors significantly influence the variation in heart structure and function. 

The team identified 14 regions in the human genome associated with the size and function of the left ventricle – each containing genes that regulate the early development of heart chambers and the contraction of heart muscle.

Previous studies have shown that differences in the size and function of the heart are partly influenced by genes but the researchers have not really understood the extent of that genetic influence. 

This study has shown that several genes known to be important in heart failure also appear to regulate the heart size and function in healthy people. 

“That understanding of the genetic basis of heart structure and function in the general population improves our knowledge of how heart failure evolves,” said a study researcher.


this is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.   
https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com. one can see my crochet creations https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com. feel free to view for easy, simple and healthy recipes    
https://kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com. for info on knee replacement     
 

Arsenic poisoning increases risk of heart problems

Arsenic contamination in water has been a long standing problem since the start of industrial revolution. Arsenic poisoning in our bodies can lead to heart problems, darker skin, and even cancer.
But now a new study has revealed that arsenic can even change the structure of the heart. If arsenic-laced-water is consumed, the heart’s main pumping chamber can be thickened by up to 50 per cent, revealed the news. Thicker artery walls put the person at risk of hypertension, heart attacks and strokes.

Several parts of a country are showing symptoms of arsenic poisoning due to consumption of contaminated water. The symptoms start showing only after several years of consumption. WHO’s guideline for acceptable levels of arsenic in drinking water is 0.01mg/litre.

Immediate effects of drinking contaminated water is stomach pain, diarrhoea and vomiting. Long term effects like cardiovascular diseases and diabetes have been observed in people.

The study, found that a two-fold increase in arsenic levels in urine resulted in nearly 50 per cent chances of the heart’s chamber thickening. A 2017 study revealed that around 2.1 million people in the US source their drinking water from private wells and they have dangerously high levels of arsenic.

For the study, urine samples were taken from more than 1,300 adults and the arsenic levels in them were measured. Then, electrocardiograms were done on these adults to determine the shape, size and function of their hearts. This study was done over a five year period and none of the participants suffered from diabetes at the start of the study.

In the study period, the research team discovered that the arsenic levels in the water increased two-fold and the left ventricle of the heart thickened by a whopping 47 per cent. The participants who had hypertension prior to the start of the study recorded a 60 per cent thickening of the ventricle. A thicker heart chamber means it can’t pump enough blood, thus possible resulting in a heart attack or a stroke.

 This study is important as cardiovascular disease till today is a leading cause of adult premature death around the world, and millions of individuals today are exposed to arsenic and other metal contaminants.

THIS IS ONLY FOR INFORMATION, ALWAYS CONSULT YOU PHYSICIAN BEFORE HAVING ANY PARTICULAR FOOD/ MEDICATION/EXERCISE/OTHER REMEDIES.                                    PS- THOSE INTERESTED IN RECIPES ARE FREE TO  VIEW MY BLOG-                                                                                           https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com/    

                                                                                                                                                     FOR INFO ABOUT KNEE REPLACEMENT, YOU CAN VIEW MY BLOG-                                                  https:// kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com/  

         

                   FOR CROCHET DESIGNS                                                                                                                                                                                                  https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com

Researchers develop adhesive patch to reduce heart attack damage

Researchers have developed a new adhesive patch that could reduce the stretching of cardiac muscle following a heart attack.

Developed by a team of researchers the patch is made from a water-based hydrogel material and can be placed directly on the heart to prevent left ventricular remodeling — a stretching of the heart muscle.

A heart attack puts the cardiac muscle at a risk of stretching out that can reduce the functioning of the heart’s main pumping chamber.

“Part of the reason that it’s hard for the heart to recover after a heart attack is that it has to keep pumping,” said co-author.

“The idea here is to provide mechanical support for damaged tissue, which hopefully gives it a chance to heal,” he added.

The researchers said the patch, which costs “less than a penny”, has been optimised using a computer model of the heart to perfectly match the material’s mechanical properties.

“If the material is too hard or stiff, then you could confine the movement of the heart so that it can’t expand to the volume it needs to,” the researcher said.

“But if the material is too soft, then it won’t provide enough support. So we needed some mechanical principles to guide us,” he pointed out.

For the research, the team tested the patch with rats and showed that the patch could be effective in reducing post-heart attack damage.

“The patch provided nearly optimal mechanical supports after myocardial infarction (i.e. massive death of cardiomyocytes),” said co-author, a cardiology researcher.

“[It] maintained a better cardiac output and thus greatly reduced the overload of those remaining cardiomyocytes and adverse cardiac remodeling.”

The researchers say the initial results are promising for eventual use in human clinical trials.

“It remains to be seen if it will work in humans, but it’s very promising,” the researcher said.

THIS IS ONLY FOR INFORMATION, ALWAYS CONSULT YOU PHYSICIAN BEFORE HAVING ANY PARTICULAR FOOD/ MEDICATION/EXERCISE/OTHER REMEDIES.                                    PS- THOSE INTERESTED IN RECIPES ARE FREE TO  VIEW MY BLOG-                                                                                           https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com/    

                                                                                                                                                     FOR INFO ABOUT KNEE REPLACEMENT, YOU CAN VIEW MY BLOG-                                                  https:// kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com/  

         

                   FOR CROCHET DESIGNS                                                                                                                                                                                                  https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com 

Stress, Sadness Really Can Break Your Heart

Both doctors and patients have been worried for long, if stress can break one's heart. Sadly, but true, as recently it was confirmed by researchers. It is a rare condition and extreme stress can literally break your heart. Such stress can be caused, not only by a death of a loved one, but health problems, job loss and other major stressors have been linked to the condition.

The syndrome known as cardiomyopathy, mainly affects women. As the medical literature on broken heart syndrome are few, more new cases are springing up each day, with additional information about how it happens and the risks associated with it.

Recently, a 63 year old woman, who is a metastatic breast cancer patients was reported to have broken heart syndrome.

Over the years, researchers have found those patients undergoing cancer treatment, fir the criteria for broken heart syndrome. Researchers say, when cancer patients complain of chest pain, they'ld look into the other problem too.

When a patient’s heart “breaks,” the main pumping chamber, the left ventricle, weakens, leading to pain and shortness of breath. The condition is reversible and temporary but can lead to complications similar to those after a heart attack. Researchers feel it's caused by a flood of adrenaline ( hormone), which is produced during a stressful situation which stuns the heart.

A 63 year old lady was diagnosed with broken heart syndrome after the death of her pet dog. The dog's death was just one of the challenges, another her husband was to retire shortly. Some property deal wasn't happening the way, she wanted it. Her son was suffering from sever back problem and her son-in-law lost his job, to make the matters worse.
 
More than 6,200 cases of broken heart syndrome were reported in 2012, up from about 300 in 2006, says a Dr.. Most patients are women. The increase, he says, is likely because more people know about the condition.

It isn't always the death of a pet, health concerns may be the reason for broken heart syndrome. It may be any problem that can give a lot of tension to the person.

Severe pain can trigger the syndrome. So can an asthma attack, a fierce argument, a surprise party, or even public speaking.Symptoms mimic a heart attack -- most often, chest pains and shortness of breath. Nausea, vomiting, and palpitations can also happen. But only testing can show the diagnosis, says the Dr.

Patients usually get the same medications used to treat congestive heart failure to support and strengthen the heart. Death is uncommon in people who don't have complications, with less than a 3% fatality rate.

What Are the Risk?

The news is not as good for people who get complications, which affect about 1 in 10 cases. One example is cardiogenic shock, which happens when the heart can't pump enough blood to the body. According to researchers, the number of people who die due to other complications are more and as each patient is different, each patient needs to be evaluated and monitored closely and monitored closely over the years.

Prevention Is Always Better Than Cure

Stopping stress, or managing it, before the overwhelming stage is, of course, the best advice. Though it is difficult, one can learn it. One needs to follow the doctor's advise closely, have a hobby to keep themselves busy and more important a good social circle,as interactions with others helps a lot, knowing how each one is coping with their problems.

THIS IS ONLY FOR INFORMATION, ALWAYS CONSULT YOU PHYSICIAN BEFORE HAVING ANY PARTICULAR FOOD/ MEDICATION/EXERCISE/OTHER REMEDIES.                                    PS- THOSE INTERESTED IN RECIPES ARE FREE TO  VIEW MY BLOG-                                                                                           https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com/                                                                                                                                                         FOR INFO ABOUT KNEE REPLACEMENT, YOU CAN VIEW MY BLOG-                                                  https:// kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com/           

                   FOR CROCHET DESIGNS                                                                                                                                                                                                  https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com

Turmeric may help boost heart health

Consuming curcumin -- the active compound in turmeric -- may improve exercise capacity in patients with heart failure, a study claims.

Curcumin has been used as a traditional Asian medicine for centuries, primarily to treat gastrointestinal ailments and skin wounds, said researchers .

Studies increasingly suggest that the compound may prevent or limit muscle wasting associated with a number of health conditions, including heart failure, they said.

People with heart failure have a reduced function of the left ventricle -- the chamber of the heart that pumps blood out to the rest of the body -- called reduced ejection fraction.
 
A decreased ability to exercise or exercise intolerance is another significant characteristic of heart failure, according to the study.

The researchers theorised that a reduction in the normal signalling of Nrf2, a protein that regulates the expression of antioxidant enzymes, may play a role in the impaired expression of antioxidant enzymes.

They examined the effects of curcumin, which is known to promote activation of Nrf2, on a mouse model of heart failure with reduced ejection fraction.

One group of mice with heart failure received daily doses of curcumin for 12 weeks, and another group did not receive treatment.

The heart failure groups were compared to a control group of healthy mice that received curcumin and an untreated control group.

The team measured the exercise capacity of all the mice before and after curcumin treatment.
The researchers also examined muscle fibre samples to assess enzyme expression levels.

They found that expression of Nrf2 increased and levels of antioxidant enzymes improved in the animals with heart failure that were given curcumin.

In addition, both groups that received curcumin -- even the animals without heart failure -- had improved exercise capacity when compared with the untreated groups, suggesting the effects of curcumin on skeletal muscle is not exclusive to heart failure.

"These data suggest that activation of Nrf2 in skeletal muscle may represent a novel therapeutic strategy to improve ... Quality of life" in people with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction, the researchers said.

THIS IS ONLY FOR INFORMATION, ALWAYS CONSULT YOU PHYSICIAN BEFORE HAVING ANY PARTICULAR FOOD/ MEDICATION/EXERCISE/OTHER REMEDIES.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        PS- THOSE INTERESTED IN RECIPES ARE FREE TO  VIEW MY BLOG-                                                                                           https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com/                                                                                                                                                                             FOR INFO ABOUT KNEE REPLACEMENT, YOU CAN VIEW MY BLOG-                                                                                                                             https:// kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com/                                                                                       FOR CROCHET DESIGNS                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com

Can diabetes medication improve heart structure?

According to a recent study, diabetes medication empagliflozin can improve cardiac structure in diabetics who also have heart disease. 

"Empagliflozin is used to reduce glucose in diabetes patients, but it also has profound cardiovascular benefits," said the Dr . "The reasons why this medication results in profound reductions in death and heart failure are largely unknown," added the Dr. "And whether it can directly and favourably remodel the heart has been an important unanswered question."

The increased thickness of the heart's left ventricle is associated with heart disease and heart failure. The study found that when the subjects were given empagliflozin, it caused a significant regression in left ventricular mass index. The left ventricular mass index was assessed using cardiac MRI, the gold standard method for evaluating heart function.

"The results are truly impressive since they were observed on top of excellent standard of care and seen within a very short period of time," said a Dr. The Dr. added that the data "provide important clues as to how this medication is working, and how it may prevent heart failure in people with Type 2 diabetes."

THIS IS ONLY FOR INFORMATION, ALWAYS CONSULT YOU PHYSICIAN BEFORE HAVING ANY PARTICULAR FOOD/ MEDICATION/EXERCISE/OTHER REMEDIES.                                                                                                                                                                                                             PS- THOSE INTERESTED IN RECIPES ARE FREE TO  VIEW MY BLOG-                                                                                           https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com/   

FOR INFO ABOUT KNEE REPLACEMENT, YOU CAN VIEW MY BLOG-                                                                                                    https:// kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com/                              

FOR CROCHET DESIGNS                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com

Waistline may predict heart disease better than weight

THIS IS ONLY FOR INFORMATION, ALWAYS CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN BEFORE HAVING ANY PARTICULAR FOOD/ MEDICATION/EXERCISE/OTHER REMEDIES.

PS- THOSE INTERESTED IN RECIPES ARE FREE TO VIEW MY BLOG-
HTTP:GSEASYRECIPES.BLOGSPOT.COM         

FOR INFO ABOUT KNEE REPLACEMENT, YOU CAN VIEW MY BLOG

HTTP://KNEE REPLACEMENT-STICK CLUB.BLOGSPOT.COM/

FOR CROCHET DESIGNS- http://My Crochet Creations.blogspot.com/

 When it comes to heart health, new research adds to the argument that a pear-shaped body, which is heavy in the hips, may be better than an apple-shaped body, which carries more weight around the belly.
 
A study of diabetes patients found that increasing waist size appears to be a stronger predictor of serious heart disease than body weight or body mass index (BMI, the weight-to-height ratio).
"We have known that abdominal obesity is more linked to coronary atherosclerosis [plaque buildup in the arteries] than other forms of obesity," said Dr. Brent Muhlestein, a study author and co-director of research at the Intermountain Medical Center Heart Institute in Salt Lake City.

"We found that left ventricle heart function got worse with progressive waist circumference. The relation between left ventricle function and waist circumference remained highly significant, even after adjusting for body weight," Muhlestein said.
The left ventricle is the heart's primary pumping chamber, and abnormal ventricular function is a common cause of heart disease, including congestive heart failure, the study authors noted.

Muhlestein added that reducing your waist size may reduce your risks.

For this investigation, scientists measured waist circumference, total body weight and BMI in 200 men and women with type 1 or type 2 diabetes. Diabetes can raise heart risks, but patients did not start the study with any symptoms of heart disease.

The researchers evaluated the heart function of study participants by using echocardiography -- a type of ultrasound. They noted that left ventricular function got progressively worse as waist sizes got bigger, with heart decline eventually leveling off at 45 inches of waistline.

The study authors noted that the link between waist circumference and reduced heart function was independent of total body weight and BMI.

Dr. Sarah Samaan, a cardiologist and physician partner at the Heart Hospital at Baylor in Plano, Texas, said these results support previous research indicating that fat in the abdominal area is much more risky than fat elsewhere in the body.

"Abdominal fat produces a wide range of inflammatory substances, and is more highly correlated with heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes than other types of fat," said Samaan, who was not involved with the study. "We know that heavier people are more likely to have stiffer hearts, which in turn can predispose to heart failure. This study shows us that fat in the abdominal area is especially harmful to heart function."

When compared to men, women in the study in general had better heart function at each increasing level of abdominal obesity. "In general, abdominal obesity had a greater adverse effect on men than women," Muhlestein said.

He said women are advised to maintain a waist size of about 34 inches or less, while men should try to keep their waist circumference at 40 inches or less.

Previous research from the same team of scientists at Intermountain Medical Center Heart Institute and Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore showed that the greater your BMI, the greater your risk of heart disease.

Exercise and diet remain the mainstays of treatment for all obese persons, including those with an apple shape, said Muhlestein. "This study emphasizes, however, that those of us who have an apple shape should perhaps be even more motivated to reduce all of our cardiovascular risk factors, including our waist circumference," he said.

Samaan added that aerobic exercise is the best type of exercise to burn belly fat.

"While crunches may strengthen the abs, they won't necessarily burn abdominal fat," she said. "Also, smokers tend to hold more belly fat, even if their total body weight is normal, so quitting smoking may help."

The report was to be presented Saturday at the annual meeting of the American College of Cardiology, in Chicago. Until published in a peer-reviewed medical journal, data and conclusions presented at meetings are usually considered preliminary.