Using a mesh tube to hold open partly blocked brain arteries reduced stroke risk, possibly more than with drug therapy with aspirin or warfarin, researchers reported at the American Stroke Association?s International Stroke Conference 2007.
An analysis of data from four clinical trials suggests that statin therapy is associated with regression of coronary atherosclerosis when low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C or “bad” cholesterol) is substantially reduced and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C or “good” cholesterol) is increased, but it remains to be determined whether this degree of atherosclerosis regression will translate to meaningful reductions in cardiovascular events, according to a study published in the Feb. 7 issue of JAMA.
Women who develop high blood pressure during pregnancy are more likely to develop increased coronary calcification later in life than those who maintained a normal blood pressure.
Depressive symptoms — especially physical signs, such as fatigue and loss of appetite — may be associated with thickening arteries, which may reflect an early sign of coronary artery disease, according to a report in the February issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Cigarette smoke (CS) is the most preventable cause of death and chronic disease in the United States. In addition to being a risk factor for atherosclerosis and cancer, recent epidemiologic studies suggest that cigarette smoke promotes the progression of kidney disease.
Psychosocial factors, such as cynical distrust, chronic stress and depression, may be associated with higher levels of inflammatory markers measured in the blood, which in turn are related to an increased risk for cardiovascular disease.
Tests on volunteers showed that black tea significantly improves the ability of the arteries to relax and expand, but adding milk completely blunts the effect. Supporting tests on rat aortas (aortic rings) and endothelial (lining) cells showed that tea relaxed the aortic rings by producing nitric oxide, which promotes dilation of blood vessels. But, again, adding milk blocked the effect.
Researchers at the Johns Hopkins and Yale university medical schools have found that a simple blood test to measure uric acid, a measure of kidney function, might reveal a risk factor for cognitive problems in old age. Of 96 community-dwelling adults aged 60 to 92 years, those with uric-acid levels at the high end of the normal range had the lowest scores on tests of mental processing speed, verbal memory and working memory.
In a new study, scientists at the Scripps Research Institute have described for the first time a glucose-activated sensor that acts as a switch to decrease production of endogenous glucose in the liver, and increase conversion of glucose to fat for storage in adipose tissue. This dual action makes the sensor, Liver X Receptor, a potential target for new therapies aimed at obesity and diabetes. The research may also have implications for heart disease and stroke.
Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine have pinpointed a key regulatory protein that translates blood flow into gene expression. The investigators showed that in a model of mouse embryonic development a transcription factor called Klf2, which resides in cells that line blood vessels, is activated by rapid, pulsed blood flow. Understanding Klf2’s role in blood vessel and muscle biology could help with fighting atherosclerosis.