According to this recent analysis published in Eur Heart J, women would have a far lower chances of dying suddenly for physical exertion during sports compared against men. Women seem to be better protected against this event, which rises the following question: what the value of screening? The risk of sports related sudden death is…
Might Alcohol Consumption Reduce Stroke?
A J shaped curve illustrating the link between alcohol consumption and ischemic stroke has been reported, suggesting that a certain amount of alcohol would be beneficial compared against absolute abstinence and excessive consumption. In order to shed some light on this matter, this study looked at alcohol consumption patterns and their effect on stroke in…
Low-Carb Diet and Coronary Artery Calcium Progression
People on low carb diets since a young age present increased risk of coronary artery calcium progression, particularly when carbs are replaced by animal protein and fat. This study included CARDIA participants (Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults) receiving a CT scan between the years 2000 and 2001 for calcium scoring, who also completed…
Pro-Inflammatory Diet and Its Potential to Trigger Cardiovascular Events
As interventional cardiologists, we cannot delegate the responsibility of providing adequate advice on healthy habits. More importantly, we cannot be ignorant about them. Our medical intervention does not end with the final angiography; this is actually the beginning, since cardiovascular disease is chronic. This paper assessed the important role played by inflammation on cardiovascular disease…
Number of Hours of Sleep and Risk of Stroke
Sleep duration (either short or long) affect the risk of stroke according to this recent analysis. We had visited a study published in JACC on the link between acute MI and sleep duration. This study appears to show similar results as regards sleep duration and stroke. The work prospectively included 79,881 men and women between…
What Is the Healthiest Diet?
This review published in JACC focuses on the foods we shood consume rather than the foods we should avoid eating (the latter being the most common focus). In this regard, the Mediterranean diet, with fish as protein source, should be the gold standard, the ultimate goal being to extend life expectancy. Promoting cardiovascular health based…
Olive Oil and Cardiovascular Risk: The Higher the Consumption, the Lower the Risk?
High olive oil intake was associated with lower risk of coronary heart disease and cardiovascular disease in two large prospective cohorts of men and women. The substitution of margarine, butter, mayonnaise, and dairy fat with olive oil can have a significant impact on cardiovascular health. The benefits of olive oil intake have been well studied…