Potential For Future Heart Disease Treatment Following Identification Of 4 Genes That Influence Levels Of ‘Bad’ Cholesterol

Scientists at the Texas Biomedical Research Institute in San Antonio have identified four genes in baboons that influence levels of “bad” cholesterol. This discovery could lead to the development of new drugs to reduce the risk of heart disease. “Our findings are important because they provide new targets for the development of novel drugs to [...]

Population-Based Efforts May Be Necessary To Lower Excessive Dietary Sodium Intake

Recent studies that examine links between sodium consumption and health outcomes support recommendations to lower sodium intake from the very high levels some Americans consume now, but evidence from these studies does not support reduction in sodium intake to below 2,300 mg per day, says a new report from the Institute of Medicine. Despite efforts [...]

Living Close To Major Road May Impair Kidney Function

May contribute to known impact of air pollution on heart disease/stroke risk Living close to a major road may impair kidney function – itself a risk factor for heart disease and stroke – and so help contribute to the known impact of air pollution on cardiovascular risk, suggests research published online in the Journal of [...]

Pet Owners May Have Reduced Risk Of Heart Disease

Having a pet might lower your risk of heart disease, according to a new American Heart Association scientific statement. The statement is published online in the association’s journal Circulation. “Pet ownership, particularly dog ownership, is probably associated with a decreased risk of heart disease” said Glenn N. Levine, M.D., professor at Baylor College of Medicine [...]

Inflammatory Protein Links Type 1 Diabetes And Heart Disease

Type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetes appears to increase the risk of heart disease, the leading cause of death among people with high blood sugar, partly by stimulating the production of calprotectin, a protein that sparks an inflammatory process that fuels the buildup of artery-clogging plaque. The findings, made in mice and confirmed with human data, suggest [...]