Shortness boosts Heart Disease Risk

Short people have a significantly higher risk of developing heart disease.

Over the years, there has been conflicting evidence on whether shortness is associated with heart disease. Height is used to calculate body mass index (a measurement of body fat), which is widely used to quantify risk of coronary heart disease.

To see the association between height and risk of developing cardiovascular diseases, researchers analysed data from 52 studies that included more than 3 million people. Short people were considered those under 5’3” and tall people were just over 5’8”. Separated by gender, short men were under 5’5”, and short women were under 5’. Tall men were over 5’9”, and tall women were over 5’5”.

Compared with the tallest people, the shortest people were almost 1.5 times more likely to die from cardiovascular disease or to live with heart disease or suffer a heart attack. Considering men and women separately, short men were 37 percent more likely to die from any cause compared with tall men, and short women were 55 percent more likely to die from any cause compared with taller women.

The researchers speculated that shorter people have smaller coronary arteries that may get blocked earlier in life due to other risk factors such as poverty, poor nutrition and infections that result in poor early life growth.


P.S. protect your heart by taking Vitamin C and Vitamin D rich foods.



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Read more at: http://doctor.ndtv.com/storypage/ndtv/id/4529/type/news/Shortness_boosts_heart_disease_risk.html?cp

Warning Signs of a Heart Attack or Stroke in Walking

Over the years, I've lost walking friends due to heart attacks, some of them even while they were walking. While walking and other moderate intensity exercise can reduce your risk of heart attack or stroke, it is only a reduction, not an elimination of risk.

It is critically important for walkers of every age to know the warning signs of a heart attack or stroke and get immediate medical attention.

The biggest challenge is to overcome your embarrassment. Nobody wants to be labeled a hypochondriac. Men seem especially loathe to get check-ups and work-ups for heart disease.

At the very least, if you know the symptoms and how to perform CPR and use an AED, you may be able to get a friend or loved one to seek medical care before it is too late.

Stop walking and seek immediate care if you have any of these:

* Tightness in your chest and possibly extending into your left arm or neck.
* Palpitations
* Chest pain or pain in your arms or jaw, often on the left side
* Wheezing, coughing, or other difficulty in breathing.
* Severe shortness of breath
* Dizziness, faintness or feeling sick to your stomach
* Excessive perspiration
* Cramps, severe pain or muscle aches
* Severe, prolonged fatigue or exhaustion after exercise.
* Nausea.

Seconds count when you are having a heart attack.

* Immediately call 911 or the other emegency number for your area to bring an ambulance with a defibrillator. Swiftly getting a unit to you is the single most important factor in surviving the heart attack. Seconds count.

* AED (automatic external defibrillator): These are simple portable defibrillators with simple instructions on the unit which anyone may use. Programs are underway to stock them in all public places. Many malls and fast food restaurants, as well as police and fire units will have them. Current Red Cross CPR classes will cover how to use them. If your distress happens in or near a mall, have someone ask for the AED.

* Does it happen? Yes, in 1999 I was at two walking events where friends had heart attacks. These shocking events are a reminder to all of us to be trained in CPR and to know where the nearest phone is to call 911.

* Summon help from those around you. Better to risk embarrassment than to die.


Normal signs of exertion

* Increased heart rate, you may feel or hear your heart beat.
* Increased breathing rate, but should be able to carry on a conversation.
* Mild to moderate sweating.
* Muscle aches and tenderness that might last a day or two as you get started.


P.S. protect your heart. Eat Vitamin C and Vitamin D rich foods.



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Heart drugs may help treat colon cancer

A group of drugs used to treat heart failure shows promise for fighting colon cancer, researchers in Sweden said.

Jenny Felth and Joachim Gullbo both of of Uppsala University and colleagues said cardiac glycosides -- a family of naturally derived drugs used to treat congestive heart failure and abnormal heart rhythms -- may prove useful in fighting many types of cancer.

As part of a larger study to screen and identify natural substances with activity against colon cancer, the researchers tested five of these heart drugs against laboratory cultures of human colon cancer cells and found they were all effective, to varying degrees, in killing the cancer cells.

The sensitivity was rather low when compared with that of other cancer cell types reported previously. However, several of the drugs also showed increased anti-cancer activity when combined with certain drugs used for standard chemotherapy.

The findings, published in the Journal of Natural Products, suggest the heart drugs may affect colon cancer outcome when used alone or in combination with conventional chemotherapy drugs.


P.S. Protect your HEART by eating Vitamin C and Vitamin D rich foods and fruits.




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Stifled Anger at Work Doubles Men's Risk for Heart Attack

Men who bottle up their anger over unfair treatment at work could be hurting their hearts, a new Swedish study indicates.

Men who consistently failed to express their resentment over conflicts with a fellow worker or supervisor were more than twice as likely to have a heart attack or die of heart disease as those who vented their anger, claims a report in the Nov. 24 online edition of the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.

In fact, ignoring an ongoing work-related conflict was associated with a tripled risk of heart attack or coronary death, the study of almost 2,800 Swedish working men found.

"It is not good just to walk away after having such a conflict or to swallow one's feelings," said study co-author Constanze Leineweber, a psychologist at Stockholm University's Stress Research Institute.

The study did not specify good ways of coping with work-related stress -- "We just looked at the bad side of coping," Leineweber explained.

The study doesn't advocate being belligerent at work, Leineweber cautioned. "Shouting out, and so on, is not proper coping," she said.

But venting one's anger outside of the workplace didn't seem to take a cardiovascular toll, at least. "Getting into a bad temper at home" was not associated with an increased risk of heart attack or cardiac death, the study authors found.

The findings echo those from a study published last year in the journal Occupational and Environmental Medicine. That study, also from Sweden and involving more than 3,100 men, found that having an overbearing or incompetent boss boosted workers' odds for angina, heart attack and death.

Leineweber stressed that what is true for men might not be true for female workers. While the study included more than 2,000 women, too few of them had heart attacks or died of heart disease to allow conclusions to be drawn.

"Earlier studies have indicated that women use different coping strategies than men," Leinewaber said. "So for women, strategies such as going away and not saying anything might not be good."

Women in general appear to handle stressful situations better than men, noted Dr. Bruce S. Rabin, director of the Healthy Lifestyle Program at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.

"Social interaction, having people to talk to, is extremely important," Rabin said. "If you keep things to yourself, you have high levels of stress hormones. Women are more comfortable in social interactions than men. They talk more, while men tend to keep within themselves."

A study, conducted by the Swedish researchers in 2005, found that women did not have the same levels of cardiovascular risk factors as men, Rabin noted.

There is no one key to handling on-the-job stress, because the level of stress depends on an individual's environment, at work and in the home, he said.

"Work environment is important," Rabin said. "You need interaction between people so that everybody feels they can express their opinions about their work. You shouldn't come to work with a feeling that no one cares."

"And when you go home, it is very important to share your feelings with whomever you are sharing with," Rabin added. "Also, you should understand that children learn from the behavior of parents. You can have a meaningful effect on the long-term health of children by being good role models. The message is that the environment you culture can affect not only your health but also the health of those who are important to you."



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Ginkgo Won't Prevent Heart Attack, Stroke in Elderly

Among people aged 75 and older, the herbal supplement Ginkgo biloba does not prevent heart attacks, stroke or death, a new study finds.

There is some evidence that the popular herbal remedy might help prevent the leg-circulation problem known as peripheral artery disease, however.

Ginkgo contains nutrients called flavonoids, which are also found in fruits, vegetables, dark chocolate and red wine, and are believed to offer some protection against cardiovascular events, the researchers say. The supplement, which is popular in the United States and Europe, has been touted to improve memory, and to prevent dementia, heart disease and stroke.

However, "ginkgo had no benefit in preventing heart attack or stroke," said study lead researcher Dr. Lewis H. Kuller, distinguished university professor of public health and professor of epidemiology at the University of Pittsburgh.

"But, surprising to us, was that the results were consistent with the observations in Europe that ginkgo appeared to have some benefit in preventing peripheral vascular disease," he said.

This could be due to flavonoids acting as both antioxidants and also causing blood vessels to expand, Kuller said.

The report was released online Nov. 24 in advance of publication in an upcoming print issue of the journal Circulation. Last year the same University of Pittsburgh team reported that ginkgo biloba had no effect on preventing dementia.

For their latest study, Kuller's group randomly assigned 3,069 patients to 120 milligrams of highly purified ginkgo biloba or placebo, twice a day as part of the Ginkgo Evaluation of Memory Study.

Over the six years of the trial, 385 participants died, 164 had heart attacks, 151 had strokes, 73 had mini-strokes ("transient ischemic attacks") and 207 had chest pain, the researchers found.

There was no significant difference between those taking ginkgo or placebo for any of these outcomes, Kuller said.

However, among the 35 people who were treated for peripheral artery disease, 23 received placebo and 12 were taking ginkgo -- a statistically significance difference, the researchers noted.

About 8 million Americans have peripheral artery disease, which typically affects the arteries in the pelvis and legs. Symptoms include cramping and pain or tiredness in the hip muscles and legs when walking or climbing stairs, although not everyone who has PAD is symptomatic. The pain usually subsides during rest.

"This study demonstrated that there were absolutely no benefits of ginkgo biloba in reducing cardiovascular events such as heart attack or stroke or in reducing death due to cardiovascular disease," said Dr. Gregg A. Fonarow, a professor of cardiovascular medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles.

"Individuals interested in maintaining cardiovascular health should stick to interventions that have been proven to be beneficial, including not smoking, engaging in regular exercise, and maintaining healthy weight, blood pressure and cholesterol levels rather than taking herbal supplements," Fonarow said.

Mark Blumenthal, founder and executive director of the American Botanical Council, an independent non-profit educational organization, pointed to the study's more positive outcome.

"I believe it is important to emphasize that the results of this current exploratory trial do not in any manner reduce or negate the existing positive results of ginkgo biloba as an effective treatment in peripheral artery disease patients, which has been evaluated, confirmed, and approved by government regulatory drug authorities in leading Western European countries like Germany and France," he said.

In addition, Blumenthal said, the trial showed that ginkgo biloba was safe and well-tolerated.

P.S. protect your heart naturally by eating Vitamin C and Vitamin D rich foods and fruits.

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Smoking blamed for 1 in 5 heart attacks

OUT of every five cases of a heart attack in Metro Manila, one can be attributed to exposure to secondhand smoke, the Department of Health (DOH) said yesterday, citing the results of a survey conducted by antismoking advocates.

World Lung Foundation (WLF) and the Paris-based International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union) calculated that between 10 and 20 percent of heart attacks in Metro Manila could be linked to secondhand smoke depending on the number of hours of exposure per week.

The groups based their findings on a survey conducted by WLF and DOH earlier this year as well as published global medical risk estimates for acute myocardial infarction (heart attack) from exposure to secondhand smoke.

Secondhand smoke, also known as passive smoking, is defined as the smoke from the burning tip of a cigarette and the smoke inhaled by a nonsmoker from a smoker.

According to the WLF, secondhand smoke is more toxic.

Children who are exposed to tobacco smoke are at increased risk for sudden infant death syndrome, acute respiratory infections, ear problems and severe asthma.

Studies also showed that exposure to secondhand smoke for more than 21 hours per week can increase one’s risk of a heart attack by as much as 62 percent.

The WLF-DOH survey showed that 52 percent of people in Metro Manila were exposed to secondhand smoke every day in workplaces, restaurants and other public places.

While most nonsmokers reported that they get upset when they are exposed to secondhand smoke, only eight percent said they asked the smoker to put out their cigarette.

The DOH and its partner agencies—the Bloomberg Philanthropies The Union and WLF—presented the new data yesterday as the department received a grant to press its campaign for the implementation of a smoke-free policy in all public places.

“The new evidence linking secondhand smoke to heart attacks makes it even more clear that tobacco use is harming people who do not smoke,” said Health Undersecretary Alex Padilla in a press conference.

“We also know that we can stop this trend by eliminating exposure among innocent mothers, fathers, children, neighbors and colleagues,” he added.

“Tobacco is taking a devastating toll on the Philippines and people are dying every day, even those who don’t use tobacco. The way to reverse this epidemic is through proven policies such as creating 100 percent smoke-free public places and work places,” said Health Secretary Francisco Duque III.

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Eat your heart out

I Love My Heart! I Love my Health! That's what people always say when someone questions them about their health and well being but science says that you have done nothing in your action towards loving your heart if you haven't taken a close look at your diet. If you already have risk factors such as hypertension, cholesterol, smoking, obesity, a sedentary lifestyle and high stress, start on your diet right away! If you have no obvious risk-factors(good for you!), this 5 easy steps will let you have a healthy heart throughout your lifetime.

1. Up your anti-oxidants

• Anti-oxidants such as vitamins C, E, beta carotene and bioflavonoids occur naturally in fruits, vegetables, wholegrains, nuts and seeds. They protect the heart from free radical damage.

• Eat gooseberries or amlas every day. Rich in Vitamin C, they mop up free radicals from the body. Steam your veggies for retaining Vitamin C. • Add a glass of freshly-squeezed citrus fruit juice combined with carrots, 3-4 times a week for Vitamin C and beta carotene.

• Snack on 4 almonds, 2 walnuts and 1-2 Tbsp of sunflower seeds each day to get a Vitamin E boost. Add a teaspoon of wheat germ to your breakfast cereal for more Vitamin E.



2. Feast on good fats

MUFA or monounsaturated fatty acids are good fats. Get them in olive, soya, and mustard oil; nuts (walnuts and pistachios) and seeds (sunflower, flax seeds), olives and dark chocolate. They have been proven to reduce 'bad' LDL cholesterol and increase 'good' HDL cholesterol.Good polyunsaturated fatty acids like Omega 3 and Omega 6 are also heart protective and found in oily fish (sardines, salmon, tuna) and flax seeds. Add them to your diet.

3.Fill up with fibre

Fibre is important for lowering bad cholesterol, a major risk factor in heart diseases. Fruits, vegetables, wholegrains, beans and legumes are good sources of both soluble and insoluble dietary fibre. Oats are great for reducing cholesterol levels, so start your day with a steaming bowl of porridge. Switch to wholewheat bread and pastas and go for brown rice instead of refined.

4.Add more vitamin D
Recent research published in the American Journal of the Medical Sciences (2009), points out the importance of Vitamin D for keeping your heart healthy. According to one article, low Vitamin D levels could increase the risk of high blood pressure, heart failure, and ischemic heart disease. There is still little information on whether taking Vitamin D supplements will reduce these risks. But because you love your heart and to be on the safe side, ensure that you expose your body to 20 minutes of sunlight every day for Vitamin D synthesis.

5.Eat this way

• Loving your heart is not simple so go easy on saturated fats and cut trans fat. Swap red meat with fish such as salmon, sardine, mackerel, sea bass. Pick white meat if you don't like fish.

• Reduce your dairy intake and go for soya instead. ? Add more coloured vegetables to your diet. Go for salads and steamed veggies.? Cut back on your salt intake. Avoid table salt and stay away from packaged foods, pickles and processed foods.

• For snacks, swap chips, cookies and chocolates with fruits, nuts and seeds.

• Swap refined foods with wholegrain foods such as brown rice, brown bread and wholewheat pastas.

• Try grilling, baking, stir-frying and steaming foods, instead of frying them.

• If you drink alcohol, exercise moderation. You can opt for red wine as it is said to contain heart-friendly polyphenols.

• Use a mix of healthy oils-olive oil, canola, rice bran, mustard and soya oil.



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Green vegetables to heart rescue

LEAFY greens have bounty of benefits. Packed with nutrients and fiber, it is low in calories. BEN UKWUOMA reports that researchers have uncovered a possible reason why green vegetables are good for the heart.

RESEARCHERS have discovered a possible reason why green vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower are good for the heart. Their work suggests that a chemical found in vegetables can boost natural Defence mechanism to protect arteries from diseases.

The Imperial College London team hopes their work could lead to new dietary treatments to prevent heart problems.

Details that appear in Arteriosclerosis Thrombosis and Vascular Biology shows that many heart diseases are caused by build up of fatty plaques in the arteries, known as atherosclerosis.

However, arteries do not get clogged up with these plaques in a uniform way. Bends and branches of blood vessels - where blood flow is disrupted and can be sluggish - are much more prone to the build-up.

The latest study has shown that a protein that usually protects against plaque build up, called Nrf2, is inactive in areas of arteries that are prone to diseases.

However, it also found that treatment with a chemical found in green "brassica" vegetables such as broccoli can activate Nrf2 in these disease-prone regions.

Lead researcher, Dr Paul Evans said: "We found that the innermost layer of cells at branches and bends of arteries lack the active form of Nrf2, which may explain why they are prone to inflammation and disease.

"Treatment with the natural compound sulforaphane reduced inflammation at the high-risk areas by 'switching on' Nrf2.

"Sulforaphane is found naturally in broccoli, so our next steps include testing whether simply eating broccoli, or other vegetables in their 'family', has the same protective effect.

"We also need to see if the compound can reduce the progression of disease in affected arteries."

Professor Peter Weissberg, medical director of the British Heart Foundation, which funded the research, said: "These fascinating findings provide a possible mechanism by which eating vegetables protects against heart disease, as well as adding evidence to support the importance of eating 'five-a-day'. The biochemistry revealed in this research could lead to more targeted dietary or medical approaches to prevent or lessen disease that leads to heart attacks and strokes."

Using normal mice, and mice engineered to lack the Nrf2 protein, the research found that in straight sections of arteries Nrf2 was present in the endothelial 'lining' cells.

Through its action on other proteins, it prevented the cells from becoming inflamed, an early stage in the development of atherosclerosis.

In the lining cells of disease-prone sites - such as bended or branched arteries - Nrf2 was attached to a protein that made it inactive. This stifled its protective properties.

But the addition of sulforaphane re-activated Nrf2 in the disease-prone regions of the artery, restoring the cells' ability to protect themselves from becoming inflamed.

The researchers believe that this will enable these artery regions to remain healthy for longer or even reduce the progression of existing disease. Dark green leafy vegetables are warehouses for calories, perhaps the most concentrated source of nutrition of any food. They are rich sources of minerals (including iron, calcium, potassium, and magnesium) and vitamins, including vitamins K, C, E, and many of the B vitamins. They also provide a variety of phytonutrients including beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin, which protect our cells from damage and our eyes from age-related problems, among many other effects. Dark green leaves even contain small amounts of Omega-3 fats.

Perhaps the star of these nutrients is Vitamin K. A cup of most cooked greens provides at least nine times the minimum recommended intake of Vitamin K, and even a couple of cups of dark salad greens usually provide the minimum all on their own. Recent research has provided evidence that this vitamin may be even more important than we once thought (the current minimum may not be optimal), and many people do not get enough of it.

Dark green leafy vegetables are calorie for calorie, perhaps the most concentrated source of nutrition of any food. They are a rich source of minerals like iron, calcium, potassium, and magnesium and vitamins, including vitamins K, C, E, and many of the B vitamins. They also provide variety of phytonutrients, including beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin, which protect our cells from damaging and our eyes from age-related problems, among many other effects. Dark green leaves even contain small amounts of Omega-3 fats.

Perhaps the star of these nutrients is Vitamin K. A cup of most cooked greens provides at least nine times the minimum recommended intake of Vitamin K, and even a couple of cups of dark salad greens usually provide the minimum all on their own. Recent research has provided evidence that this vitamin may be even more important than we once thought -the current minimum may not be optimal. And many people do not get enough of it.

Dr. Albert Osaretin Egbuhi, an associate professor of Biochemistry, College of Medicine University of Lagos, said: "Greens have very little carbohydrate in them, and the carbohydrate that are there are packed in layers of fiber, which make them very slow to digest. That is why, in general, greens have very little impact on blood glucose."

Broccoli for instance is said to be highly nutritious, containing over 20 vitamins and minerals. A cup is bursting with 2280 IU of vitamin A and 123 mg of vitamin C.

"It is an excellent source of folate and dietary fiber and a good source of potassium, calcium, the B vitamins and other essential nutrients. In addition to its sulforaphane content which aids in increasing the levels of enzymes that block cancer, its indole-3 carbinol content has captured the attention of those looking to prevent hormone-related cancers, including breast and prostate cancer." Egbuhi stated.

Aside from being a very good source of vitamin C, cucumber is also packed with molebdenum, a mineral that reduces the symptoms of allergy and helps prevent anemia by enabling the body to use iron. In addition to its vitamin A, D and E contents, this watermelon relative also contains vitamin K, a nutrient required to make at least three proteins essential for bone formation. A cup of cucumber contains 149 mg of potassium

Essentially, most vegetables are nutrient dense and loaded with good-for-you vitamins and phytonutrients, but green vegetables and leafy greens pack a pile of health benefits into two important factors: flavonoids and folate.

"Flavonoids are anti-oxidant compounds that give some of the colour to foods like dark chocolate, grapes, strawberries, blueberries, and peppers."

Flavonoids, according to experts, also help keep arteries flexible, acting almost like a non-stick coating preventing cholesterol buildup. Two of the richest sources of flavonoids are green beans and broccoli.

Green beans have high concentration of Vitamins A and C, two other potent anti-oxidants which do everything from protecting us against cancer causing free radicals to promoting collagen and elastin production in the skin, to help fight signs of aging.

Broccoli, while high in flavonoids, also contains important phytonutrients that aid in cancer prevention. In some studies it has been shown to reduce the size of cancerous tumors that already exist. In addition, broccoli is high in calcium as well as vitamin C, having nearly twice the amount of vitamin C of that of orange. The significance of that combination is that vitamin C aids in the absorption of calcium.

Folate is a B vitamin that helps cells regenerate, or renew themselves. While it assists in the production of healthy blood cells and the treatment of anemia, it is also a needed component in the making of DNA, the building blocks of cells. By preventing changes to DNA, it also aids in the prevention of many types of cancers.

Clinical studies have also shown that a lack of folate increases the risk for alzheimers, depression, and other forms of mental fatigue. Because of the connection with the production of red blood cells, folate, or the manufactured form, folic acid, has long been recommended to pregnant women as it aids in the development of a healthy nervous system in the fetus. What are our best green food sources of folate? Spinach, kale and asparagus.

Green vegetables also contain many phyto-chemicals and beta-carotene. These nutrients help protect cells from damaging, improve immune functions and help protect our eyes from age-related diseases. Some studies suggest that lutein and zeaxanthin may reduce the risk of certain types of cancers such as breast and lung cancers. They are useful in reducing the risk of cancer and heart disease since they are low in fat, high in dietary fiber, and rich in folic acid, vitamin C, potassium and magnesium as well as containing a host of phytochemicals, such as lutein, beta-cryptoxanthin, zeaxanthin, and beta-carotene.

One study showed that an increment of one daily serving of green leafy vegetables lowered the risk of cardiovascular disease by 11 per cent.

In the Adventist health study, the frequent consumptions of green salads by African-Americans were associated with a substantially lower risk of mortality.

Because of their high magnesium content and low glycemic index, green leafy vegetables are also valuable for persons with type 2 diabetes.

Green vegetables are also major sources of iron and calcium for any diet. Swiss chard and spinach are not considered good sources of calcium, due to their high content of oxalic acid. Green leafy vegetables are rich in beta-carotene, which can also be converted into vitamin A, and also improve immune functions. Millions of children around the world have increased risk of blindness, and other illnesses because of inadequate dietary vitamin A from green leafy vegetables.

Lutein and zeaxanthin, carotenoids found in dark-green leafy vegetables, are concentrated in the eye lens and macular region of the retina. They play a protective role in the eye. They protect against both cataract and age-related macular degeneration, the major cause of blindness in the elderly. Some studies suggest that lutein and zeaxanthin may help reduce the risk of certain types of cancers, such as breast and lung cancer, and may contribute to the prevention of heart disease and stroke.

In a Swedish study, it was reported that eating three or more servings a week of green leafy vegetables significantly reduced the risk of stomach cancer, the fourth most frequent cancer in the world. Cabbage, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, and broccoli are rich in indoles and isothiocyanates, which protect us against colon and other cancers.

Broccoli sprouts have been reported to contain 10 or more times as much sulforaphane, a cancer-protective substance than does mature broccoli. A higher consumption of green leafy vegetables has been shown to significantly decrease the risk of breast cancer and skin cancer.

Studies have identified a gene, connexin 43, whose expression is upregulated by chemopreventive carotenoids and which allows direct intercellular gap junctional communication. In many human tumors, gap junctional communication is deficient and its upregulation is associated with decreased proliferation. Hence, the cancer-preventive properties of carotenoids are partly explained by their impact on gene regulation.

Quercetin is a bioflavonoid found in leafy green vegetables. Quercetin has an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity and displays unique anticancer properties. Quercetin is a natural compound that blocks substances involved in allergies and acts as an inhibitor of mast cell secretion, and causes a decrease in the release of interleukin-6.

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One in four heart attack and stroke patients miss medication

Almost a quarter of people on medication to prevent strokes and heart attacks are not taking their drugs, research has found.

Women are slightly more likely than men to take their drugs on time, according to a poll of 472 patients, but overall 26% said they either missed doses or did not use their prescribed medication at all.

Anti-clotting drugs were not taken regularly by 29% of patients at a GP practice in the North-east of England, and 23% failed to take statins on time, which reduce cholesterol and lower the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

Research presented at the British Pharmaceutical Conference in Manchester found that older patients and those on large numbers of drugs were more likely to stick to a medication schedule.

Pharmacist Wasim Baqir, from The Village Green Surgery, Sunderland, said: “Simply prescribing a drug is not enough.

“Doctors and other members of the primary care team, such as pharmacists, need to work with patients so they understand the importance of taking their medicines in the right dose, at the right time.”

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Vitamin users have lower heart risk

Good news for those who take vitamin supplements: people who take a multivitamin and vitamin E nearly every day for 10 years seem to have a slightly lower risk of death from heart disease, study findings hint.

Those who take vitamin E and C supplements may also have a lower risk of death overall in a five-year period, while those who take vitamin C may have a lower risk of death from cancer, note study authors Dr. Gaia Pocobelli, at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Centre in Seattle, Washington, and colleagues.

Vitamins E and C are antioxidants that are thought to protect against damage the body's cells, but scientists have "no clear evidence" that their use staves off death.

While the findings of the current study back earlier studies, many of the decreased risks are small, and may have more to do with other healthy behaviours in which people who take vitamins are likely to take part, the authors are quick to add in their report in the American Journal of Epidemiology.

How the study was done

The team surveyed 77 719 men and women in Washington State who were between 50 and 76 years old. Overall 67, 47, and 48% of the study group had ever used multivitamins, vitamin C, and vitamin E supplements, respectively.

Overall, there were 3 577 deaths in the group over five years. Among those who did not use vitamins, there were 350 deaths from heart disease, while there were 519 deaths among those who used vitamins between a few days and seven days per week.

After adjusting for gender and age, lifestyle, diet, and medical conditions, the researchers saw no differences between non-users and those who used multivitamins for zero to two days, three to five days, or six to seven days per week on average over 10 years.

By contrast, they saw slightly decreased risk for death from heart disease among those reporting the most frequent multivitamin use.

What the study revealed

When the researchers looked at vitamin C use, those who took more than 322 milligrams per day had a slightly decreased overall and cancer-related risk of death within five years, compared with non-users. Those with a history of heart disease who took this level of vitamin C had slightly decreased risk for death from heart disease.

Compared with non-users, men and women reporting more than 215 milligrams per day of vitamin E per day - roughly the amount found in a typical supplement -- had slightly decreased total and heart disease-related risk of death. The investigators saw no association between cancer death risk and vitamin E intake.

Even though the study took lifestyle into account, the authors that many of the findings "should be interpreted cautiously because healthy behaviours" - some of which may not have been measured - "tend to be more common in supplement users than in nonusers."


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