Chronic migraine sufferers tend to be in poorer general health, less well off, and more depressed than those with episodic migraine, reveals new research.
A new study reveals how human genes interact with their environment to boost disease risk. The findings shed light on why the search for specific gene variants linked to human diseases can only partly explain common disorders.
A new study suggests that the bacteria that cause typhoid fever collect in tiny but persistent communities on gallstones, making the infection particularly hard to fight in so-called “carriers” — people who have the disease but show no symptoms. Humans who harbor these bacterial communities in their gallbladders, even without symptoms, are able to infect others with active typhoid fever, especially in developing areas of the world with poor sanitation.
Around the time of menopause, studies have shown the threat for heart disease intensifies drastically and detecting cardiovascular disease in women is very difficult.
Post-menopausal women who ate the most daily dietary fat had a 40 percent higher incidence of ischemic stroke compared to those who consumed the least. In addition, high trans fat consumption was associated with a 30 percent increase in the incidence of stroke caused by blockages in the brain.
An early study suggests that vitamin B3 or niacin, a common water-soluble vitamin, may help improve neurological function after stroke. When rats with ischemic stroke were given niacin, their brains showed growth of new blood vessels, and sprouting of nerve cells which greatly improved neurological outcome. Now research is underway to investigate the effects of an extended-release form of niacin on stroke patients.
Simvastatin might help us control our cholesterol, but when it comes to infection, it’s an entirely different story says a new research study. Scientists have shown that simvastatin delivers a one-two punch to the immune system. First it impairs the ability of specialized immune cells, called macrophages, to kill pathogens. Then, it enhances production of molecules, called cytokines, which trigger and sustain inflammation.
A new study touts the benefits of soluble fiber — found in oats, apples, and nuts, for starters — saying that it reduces the inflammation associated with obesity-related diseases and strengthens the immune system.
A low-carbohydrate diet, a low-fat diet and the Mediterranean diet were equally effective in helping obese people to reverse carotid atherosclerosis after losing moderate amounts of weight and improving their blood pressure, in a new study.
Losing weight can improve health and reduce disease risk, but many people have difficulty keeping the weight off. Now, researchers have found that exercising during weight regain can maintain improvements in metabolic health and disease risk. In the study, individuals who didn’t exercise during weight regain experienced significant deterioration in metabolic health, while those who exercised maintained improvements in almost all areas.
Frequent exposure to environmental tobacco smoke among 13-year-olds is associated with an increased risk of future blood vessel hardening and greater risks of other heart disease factors, according to new research.
When researchers created mice lacking an enzyme that breaks down and releases stored triglycerides, they expected to see animals with better lipid profiles. But according to a new study, they got more than they bargained for. The triacylglycerol hydrolase (TGH)-deficient mice showed global metabolic benefits, with essentially no downside.
Only 68 percent of corporate executives took their cholesterol lowering medication as prescribed by a doctor, a new study shows.
The use of a physician-pharmacist collaborative care plan to manage lipid control in patients with high cholesterol does not have significant clinical impact, found a new article.
Mice lacking a gene called TLR5 have an altered ability to recognize and control bacteria in their intestines, leading them to develop obesity and insulin resistance, which is often referred to as “pre-diabetes.” The bacteria appear to influence appetite and metabolism rather than how well calories are absorbed. Obesity and insulin resistance can be transferred from TLR5-deficient mice via intestinal bacteria.
The collection of symptoms that is the metabolic syndrome — insulin resistance, high cholesterol, fatty liver, and a greater risk for diabetes, heart disease, and stroke — are all related to obesity, but, according to a new review not in the way you probably think they are.
Only half of all patients at high risk of heart disease are given correct targets for lowering their cholesterol levels according to a study of 25,250 patients. The study investigated how primary care doctors assessed their patients’ risk factors and other health problems when deciding on cholesterol-lowering targets, and although the research focused on German doctors and their patients, the authors believe that it reflects a similar picture in the rest of Europe.
A newly discovered ability for people to taste fat could hold the key to reducing obesity, researchers believe. They also found that people with a high sensitivity to the taste of fat tended to eat less fatty foods and were less likely to be overweight
People whose “bad” cholesterol and risk of future heart disease stay too high despite cholesterol-lowering statin therapy can safely lower it by adding a drug that mimics the action of thyroid hormone.
The cardiovascular risk that is associated with proteinuria, or high levels of protein in the urine, a common test used by doctors as an indicator of increased risk for progressive kidney disease, heart attack and stroke, has race-dependent effects, according to a new study.
A study found that every hour spent in front of the television per day brings with it an 11 percent greater risk of premature death from all causes, and an 18 percent greater risk of dying from cardiovascular disease. The findings apply to both obese and overweight people as well as people with a healthy weight because prolonged periods of sitting have an unhealthy influence on blood sugar and blood fat levels.
A new study concludes that many doctors appear to have largely ignored a U.S. Food and Drug Administration warning to screen users of new antipsychotic drugs for high blood sugar and cholesterol, which poses risks to their health and raises questions about the efficacy of warning protocols in general.
Scientists have found that a “longevity gene” helps to slow age-related decline in brain function in older adults. Drugs that mimic the gene’s effect are now under development, the researchers note, and could help protect against Alzheimer’s disease.
Neuroscientists have demonstrated an association among Alzheimer’s disease, Down syndrome and atherosclerosis. Their research implicates damage inflicted by the amyloid protein as a shared disease mechanism.
