A new study suggests that those taking Celebrex for arthritis may be increasing their risk for a heart attack or stroke.
According to researchers from the University of Michigan, adults who take an aspirin to prevent heart complications in addition to Celebrex for joint pain are counteracting their medications.
“The greatest risk is having people take Celebrex who are taking aspirin for cardiovascular problems that are known to be mitigated by aspirin, including patients with unstable angina or those at risk for a second heart attack,” said study author Minor Coon. Read the rest of this entry »
The main component found in chili peppers has been shown to prevent and reduce heart damage during a heart attack, according to a new study.
The study published in the journal Circulation, finds that applying capsaicin, which is the main component in chili peppers and the active ingredient in some common pain creams, to specific skin areas on mice caused sensory nerves in the skin to trigger signals in the nervous system.
These signals activate cellular “pro-survival” pathways in the heart which protect the muscle, the article further explains. Read the rest of this entry »
All men who do not openly express their anger if they are unfairly treated at work double their risk of a heart attack, Swedish research suggests.
The researchers looked at 2,755 male employees in Stockholm who had not had a heart attack when the study began.
They were asked about how they coped with conflict at work, either with superiors or colleagues. Read the rest of this entry »
You may be able to determine if you’re at risk for cardiovascular problems by doing a simple stretching exercise rather than an invasive hospital procedure, according to a new study in The American Journal of Physiology.
Researchers found that the sit-and-reach test, or having patients see how far they can reach beyond their toes while in a sitting position, can be used as a measure of how flexible the arteries are. Because arterial stiffness often precedes cardiovascular disease, the results suggest that this simple test could become a quick measure of an individual’s risk for early mortality from a heart attack or stroke. Read the rest of this entry »
In a study that will provide comfort to chocoholics everywhere, researchers in Sweden have found evidence that people who eat chocolate have increased survival rates after a heart attack — and it may be that the more they eat, the better.
The scientists followed 1,169 nondiabetic men and women who had been hospitalized for a first heart attack. Each filled out a standardized health questionnaire that included a question about chocolate consumption over the past 12 months. Chocolate contains flavonoid antioxidants that are widely believed to have beneficial cardiovascular effects. Read the rest of this entry »
Women who use the contraceptive pill for years risk a build-up of plaque in their arteries, according to a study released this week.
While the European study suggests long-term pill users may therefore be at increased risk of heart attack or stroke, the researchers say their findings are no need for alarm.
“Bottom line – don’t discontinue your pill suddenly. Don’t panic. Don’t call your gynaecologist tomorrow morning,” says lead researcher Dr Ernst Rietzschel of Ghent University in Belgium, whose team presented the results at an American Heart Association meeting this week. Read the rest of this entry »
A new study suggests that those taking Celebrex for arthritis may be increasing their risk for a heart attack or stroke.