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A study shows that a non-invasive imaging test can help identify patients with coronary artery blockage or narrowing who need a revascularization procedure. Doctors use coronary CT angiography (CTA) to diagnose narrowed or blocked arteries in the heart. A CTA exam receives a score from mild (0–1) to severe (4–5). Patients with scores above 3 typically require medical treatments. Doctors have traditionally relied on invasive coronary angiography to image vessels and more recently have added fractional flow reserve (FFR) to identify and assess significant blockages. To assess CT-FFR, Dr. Randhawa conducted a retrospective study of patients who underwent coronary CTA...

After a heart attack, elderly adults have better odds for improved health and survival if all major heart vessels are cleared, not just the one that caused the heart attack. Because these patients often have other medical conditions and may be frail, doctors frequently opt to open only the "culprit" blood vessel and leave other partially blocked vessels alone. But new research on more than 1,400 patients aged 75 and older found that clearing all these vessels lowers the one-year risk for death, having another heart attack or stroke, or needing another procedure. "What we found in the study is...

It's possible marijuana use changes how blood clots or affects peripheral vascular tone, a recent study suggested. File Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI It's possible marijuana use changes how blood clots or affects peripheral vascular tone, a recent study suggested. File Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI | License Photo Smoking cigarettes has long been linked to peripheral artery disease (PAD), a condition where the buildup of plaque narrows arteries and limits blood flow to the legs or arms. Now, a new study suggests that marijuana may have a similar impact, after finding that users had three times the risk of developing PAD....

A new study suggests that a "keto-like" diet may be associated with higher blood levels of "bad" cholesterol and a twofold heightened risk of cardiovascular events such as chest pain (angina), blocked arteries requiring stenting, heart attacks and strokes. Proponents of a ketogenic diet suggest limiting carbohydrates to 10% of total daily calories, protein to 20% to 30% and obtaining 60% to 80% of daily calories from fat. Some previous studies have shown that an LCHF diet can lead to elevated levels of LDL cholesterol in some people. Iatan and her colleagues defined an LCHF diet as consisting of no...

An antioxidant drug reverses atherosclerosis and could be used to prevent heart attacks and strokes due to clots. Atherosclerosis is the build-up of fatty deposits in the arteries. When a type of fat called LDL cholesterol becomes oxidized and builds up to form plaques in the artery walls, inflammation and damage increase which can cause the plaques to rupture and cause blood to clot. These clots can block vital arteries that allow blood to flow to the heart, causing a heart attack, or to the brain causing a stroke. Previously, researchers at the University of Reading discovered that LDL cholesterol...

Clogged arteries are is the underlying cause of 50% of all deaths in westernized society, according to a new study published by the National Institutes of Health. Formally known as atherosclerosis, it is caused by chronic inflammation and experts says you can help prevent — and sometimes even reverse — the plaque buildup in our blood vessels by making lifestyle changes, including improving your diet. According to Prime, clogged arteries can also be caused by smoking, obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, and cholesterol, so tackling these medical conditions can also help keep your arteries healthy. Here are 6 foods that...

Scans of mummified Inuits from 16th-century Greenland revealed that the ancient hunters suffered from clogged-up arteries despite a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Atherosclerosis — the build-up of plaques of fat, cholesterol and calcium in one's arteries — is a leading cause of death today in the world's wealthier countries. While often seen as a product of modern lifestyles, evidence of the condition has been found in human remains dating back as far as around 4,000 BC. However, none of these examples enjoyed a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which has been suggested can help protect against plaque...

Uncovering the mechanism by which calcium deposits accumulate on the walls of arteries could help develop new treatments for everything from heart disease to dementia (Credit: Melinda Duer) A landmark study, led by a team of scientists from King's College London and the University of Cambridge, has described the mechanism responsible for the hardening of arteries. The research also points to a common antibiotic as a potential new treatment to prevent this condition.

Avocados are a delicious, rich fruit and a great way to treat your heart—and your taste buds. (Lisa Fotios/Pexels) ========================================================= Heart disease is the leading cause of death for women in the United States. An estimated 44 million U.S. women are affected by cardiovascular disease, causing 1 in 3 women’s deaths each year. One of the most common forms of heart disease is coronary artery disease which occurs when a buildup of plaque narrows artery walls and restricts proper blood flow to the heart and can lead to a heart attack. Coronary artery disease can be treated or prevented through...

TORONTO — A single junk-food meal rich in saturated fat is detrimental to the health of the arteries, researchers in Canada said. Dr. Anil Nigam and colleagues at the University of Montreal-affiliated EPIC Center of the Montreal Heart Institute compared the effects of a junk-food meal and a typical Mediterranean meal on the vascular endothelium, the inner lining of the blood vessels. Endothelial function is closely linked to the long-term risk of developing coronary artery disease.

Scientists have discovered that a component of the superfood can protect arteries from “furring” which can block blood flow and lead to angina, heart attack and stroke. Arteries don’t clog at the same rate and researchers know that a protein is inactive in parts which are more vulnerable to disease. New tests suggest that a chemical found in vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower can boost a natural defence mechanism to protect against the damage. Tests in mice have shown that the chemical, known as Sulforaphane, found naturally in the vegetables can stimulate the protein to offer this protective...

A good night's sleep may be just what your arteries need. So finds a new five-year study in which middle-aged people who had an extra hour of sleep each night were less likely to have artery-stiffening calcium deposits. Lauderdale and her colleagues have been following a group of young adults for years, studying their heart arteries from a number of angles. The latest report linked the sleeping habits of 495 participants, ages 35 to 47, with the incidence of artery calcification, measured by CT scans. Calcium deposits can make the coronary arteries less flexible and ultimately lead to heart disease....

Hispanics With Clogged Arteries At Greatest Risk Of Stroke, Heart Attack, Study Shows ScienceDaily (Mar. 22, 2008) — Hispanics who have even a small amount of plaque build-up in the neck artery that supplies blood to the brain are up to four times more likely to suffer or die from a stroke or heart attack than Hispanics who do not have plaque, according to a study published in the March 19, 2008, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. For the study, researchers used ultrasound to determine the thickness of the plaque in the...

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Blood pressure drugs beta-blockers can help keep arteries from clogging up, researchers said on Monday in a report that helps explain how the drugs prevent heart attack and sudden heart death.he drugs are cheap and most are generically available, although studies show they are not prescribed as often as recommended.Dr. Steven Nissen and colleagues at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio pooled the results of four trials involving 1,500 patients to see if beta-blockers help slow the clogging of arteries.They said 1,100 of the patients took beta-blockers. Most of the patients also got a cocktail of heart drugs...

Walnuts 'combat unhealthy fats' The new superfood? Eating walnuts at the end of a meal may help cut the damage that fatty food can do to the arteries, research suggests. It is thought that the nuts are rich in compounds that reduce hardening of the arteries, and keep them flexible. A team from Barcelona's Hospital Clinico recommend eating an ounce (28g) of walnuts a day. The study, which appears in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, also showed walnuts had more health benefits than olive oil. The researchers recruited 24 adults, half with normal cholesterol levels, and half...

Stem cell injections might someday be used to treat a debilitating cardiovascular condition called peripheral arterial disease (PAD), researchers say. People with PAD have poor blood circulation -- especially in the legs -- and can suffer sores, ulcers and even amputations. PAD is caused by a clogging and hardening of the arteries, and patients may need surgical procedures such as angioplasty or an artery bypass graft to widen narrowed blood vessels. However, as many as 12 percent of PAD patients can't have these surgical procedures. That's why researchers at the Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis are investigating the...

In 1980, a man from a small town called Limone Sul Garda in northern Italy went to a doctor for some problem, not heart related. Testing of his blood showed very high levels of triglycerides, and very low levels of HDL, the good form of cholesterol. By all rights, the man should have either been dead from, or in imminent danger of a heart attack. But his arteries were clear. Analysis of his blood showed he had a very special form of Lipoprotein, a type of HDL. And further work with this particular type of Lipoprotein revealed astounding results. In...

THE active ingredient in cannabis protects arteries against harmful changes that lead to strokes and heart attacks, new research suggests. THC, or delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, is known to affect the brain and make cannabis-users “high”. The new research shows that it also has an influence on blood vessels. A study of mice revealed that the compound blocks the process of inflammation, which is largely responsible for the narrowing of arteries. Inflammation combines with fatty deposits to produce obstructive “plaques”, a condition known as atherosclerosis. These can block arteries to the heart, causing angina and heart attacks, or to the brain, leading to...

Scientists are developing a pill to stop people suffering heart attacks and strokes. The drug would be taken regularly by middle-aged men and women to prevent their arteries clogging up or developing fatal blockages in later life. A project led by Professor John Martin of University College, London, is designed to tackle the world's heart disease crisis and stems from a 10-year collaboration between Finnish, German, Italian and British researchers. 'Heart disease is the developed world's number one killer and even in the developing world it kills more people than malaria or Aids,' said Martin. 'We need to take urgent...