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Added on the 10/08/2015 16:33:35 - Copyright : Wochit
A new study says better heart health in middle age may help reduce a person's risk significantly for dementia later in life. Researchers at Sweden's Karolinska Institute studied 1,449 Finns enrolled in the Finnish Cardiovascular Risk Factors, Aging, and Dementia study. Adults with 'ideal' results on several cardiovascular health metrics were found to be 86% less likely to be diagnosed with dementia than those with lower scores. According to UPI, the metrics considered included smoking history, engagement in physical activity, body weight, cholesterol levels, and blood pressure. The findings suggest that maintaining lifelong heart health by not smoking, exercising regularly, and staying slim may reduce dementia risk later in life.
A new study reveals older women have a greater risk of heart failure if they spend more time sitting than those who sit less. And according to UPI, that's even if they have a regular fitness routine. As part of the Women's Health Initiative Observational Study, researchers analyzed the records of 80,100 postmenopausal women who were roughly 63 years old. Women spending less than 6.5 hours daily sitting or lying down had 15% less risk of heart failure hospitalization than women spending 9.5 sedentary hours daily. The data also showed the less sedentary women had a 42% less risk of heart failure hospitalization than women reporting more than 9.5 hours sedentary hours.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says up to 29% of all adults in the United States, or about 70 million people, have high cholesterol. In addition to lifestyle changes around diet and exercise, prescription statin drugs can help control high cholesterol, which is liked to cardiovascular disease. Now, a new study reveals older adults benefit from statins at least as much as young people in reducing the risk of heart attack, stroke, and heart disease. According to UPI, researchers say that for every 80 people age 80 to 100 who take statins, one heart attack will be prevented. In contrast, three times that number of people between ages 50 and 59 would need to take the drugs to prevent one heart attack. Similarly, a second analysis shows statins reduce the risk for heart attack and stroke in people over 75 by 26% for every one-point reduction in LDL cholesterol.
People who consume a diet rich in flavanol-heavy food may have lower blood pressure than those who don't. Flavanols are found in foods such as berries, tea, and apples. Researchers studied the diets of more than 25,000 people and compared what they ate with their blood pressure. According to CNN, the researchers found a link between high flavanol intake and lower blood pressure in participants. The number of flavanols in certain foods can vary widely. For example, the amount found in tea ranges from 10 milligrams per 100 grams of tea to 330 milligrams per 100 grams of tea. which is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. While other studies have found a link between flavanols and health benefits, this study was the first to measure intake of the compounds objectively using biomarkers found in urine.