High ‘Good Cholesterol’ May Not Reduce Heart Disease Risk

Raising ‘good cholesterol’ levels may not be as effective as lowering ‘bad cholesterol’ for reducing the risk of developing heart disease, a new study has found. Low and very high levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL), known as ‘good cholesterol’ are associated with higher risk of dying from heart disease, cancer and other causes, said researchers from University of Toronto in Canada. Low level of good cholesterol may not be a heart disease risk factor on its own and also raising HDL does not likely reduce a person’s risk of heart…

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Life Expectancy in Australia Hits New High: Report

Life expectancy in Australia has hit a new high, with babies born in 2015 expected to live two years longer than those born in 2005, according to a report issued on Friday. The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) report showed that life expectancy had hit 84.5 years for females and 80.4 years for males, but demographics expert Peter McDonald of the University of Melbourne said that the statistics assume no improvements in healthcare and were therefore conservative estimates. “They are not any individual’s lifetime; they are just telling you the…

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More Evidence Links High Sodium Intake to Risk of Death

Keeping sodium intake low may prolong life according to a new study that set out to clarify the long-term risk of eating too much sodium and the benefits of cutting down. Based on following more than 3,000 people with elevated blood pressure for over 24 years, researchers found that risk of death from any cause rose in a straight line along with sodium intake. “Our results are not that surprising because we know that sodium increases blood pressure, and we have found that it increases risk of cardiovascular disease also,”…

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High Resting Heart Rate Tied to African American Heart Failure Risk

For African Americans, a high resting heart rate may indicate greater risk of death or hospitalization with heart failure, a recent analysis finds. This had already been shown in studies that mostly involved white participants, but it wasn’t clear if the same was true in the black community, researchers write in JAMA Cardiology. “Resting” heart rate is measured when a person is sitting or lying down, calm and moving as little as possible. For a person who isn’t ill, a heart rate anywhere between 60 and 100 beats per minute…

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Carotid is key to high blood pressure

Carotid is key to high blood pressure (Thinkstock photos/Getty Images) Removing one carotid body from some patients with high blood pressure can provide immediate and sustained fall in blood pressure, finds a new study. Carotid bodies, a small cluster of chemoreceptors and supporting cells located near the fork (bifurcation) of the carotid artery that feed the brain with blood, appear to be a cause of high blood pressure. “The falls in blood pressure are impressive — more than pharmacological medication — and demonstrate the potential for targeting the carotid body…

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High Fever? It Might Be a Symptom of Dengue

Dengue in India Dengue has become, in recent years, an annual scare during the monsoon season in India. It is not uncommon to find newspapers and television channels full of stories on Dengue’s rising incidences. The statistics are equally concerning. In 2014, there were 40,571 reported cases of Dengue in India and 137 subsequent deaths. Dengue is spread by several species of mosquito of the Aedes type, principally A. aegypti. The virus has five different types;infection with one type usually gives lifelong immunity to that type, but only short-term immunity…

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