Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is growing at an alarming rate worldwide according to recent data published in The Lancet. The research – accessible here – found that the number of individuals living with hypertension doubled in the last three decades. The world’s hypertensive population now exceeds 1.2 billion, with researchers sounding the alarm on […]
heart health
Salt Awareness Week 2021 draws to a close
Today, Salt Awareness Week 2021 ends. The observance is intended to promote wider knowledge of why too much salt can be harmful to your health as the effects are far-reaching. In India, salt awareness is important given how much salt Indians consume. In 2019, Down to Earth reported that Indians consume almost ten grams of […]
Cardiology assessments dropped dramatically during COVID
The pandemic witnessed a steep drop in the number of cardiology assessments, according to the recently-published results of a survey. Of particular concern throughout the COVID-19 has been the disruption to routine health services, ranging from routine immunisation to screening for and treatment of other diseases. In the case of cardiology, the International Atomic Energy […]
Genetic link to cardiomyopathy uncovered
A recent study published in Science Advances has identified a genetic link between diabetes and cardiomyopathy in South Asians. The research was led by Dhandapany Perundurai, investigator at the Centre for Cardiovascular Biology and Disease (CCBD) at Bengaluru’s Institute for Stem Cell Science and Regenerative Medicine (DBT-inStem). As part of the study, 2,552 cardiomyopathy patients […]
Trans fats in Government’s crosshairs
The Union Government has trans fats in its sights, as reports indicate the Narendra Modi administration intends to outline regulations this month. Per a report published by The Print, “to reduce incidence of heart ailments, the Narendra Modi government is likely to roll out regulations for limiting trans fatty acids (TFA) or trans fats in […]
Heart health and COVID-19
Heart health is a matter of mounting public concern – including in India. The country’s escalating heart health crisis has, for some time, been an issue that is imperative for the health system to address. However, this may not be the case. In 2016, heart disease acted as the country’s leading cause of death. Heart […]
Heart inflammation: A consequence of COVID?
As the COVID-19 pandemic evolves, we learn more about the potential long-term health consequences of the disease. The impact on cardiac health is among the issues researchers have studied and research released earlier this week lends an insight into one potential ramification: heart inflammation. Research published in JAMA Cardiology studied the cardiovascular magnetic imaging results […]
Could a healthy gut mean a healthy heart?
Researchers have found that the presence of a beneficial gut bacteria called Eubacterium limosum may have a preventative effect against heart disease. The results of a study published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry have revealed the bacteria was able to reduce the amount of trimethylamine (TMA) produced within the gut. This chemical is a […]