Job Insecurity Tied to Increased Risk of Diabetes

People who are worried about losing their jobs may be more likely to be diagnosed withdiabetes, according to a new analysis. Compared to people who felt secure in their jobs, people who were experiencing so-called job insecurity had a 19 percent higher rate of new cases of diabetes, which researchers called a “modest increased risk.” The study can’t prove that job insecurity causes diabetes. Still, said lead author Jane Ferrie, “In an ideal world, the sort of thing I’d like to see come out of this study is a reduction…

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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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Moderate Alcohol Consumption May Increase Risk Of Atrial Fibrillation

Moderate alcohol consumption may change the structure of the heart in ways that increases the risk of atrial fibrillation leading to a stroke, a study suggests. Atrial fibrillation is a known risk factor for stroke and the irregular pumping of blood can lead to clots, which may travel to the brain and cause a stroke. “There is growing evidence that moderate alcohol intake may be a risk factor for atrial fibrillation, the most common heart rhythm disturbance in the world, but the mechanism by which alcohol may lead to atrial…

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Belly Fat May Increase Risk Of Heart Diseases

Increasing stomach fat — also known as the “hidden fat” in abdomen — can lead to worsening heart disease risk factors, according to a study. The study adds to the growing evidence that regional fat deposits are harmful and further suggested that the density of the stomach fat (measured by CT scan) is important. Previous studies have shown that people who carry excess abdominal fat around their midsection tend to face higher risks of heart disease compared to people who have fat elsewhere. In general, the higher the fat content,…

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Too Little Sleep, Or Too Much, Linked to Risk of Heart Disease

Sleep irregularities may be tied to a variety of health problems, such as diabetes and obesity, that can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, a leading U.S. doctors group says. The risk may go up when people get too little sleep, or too much, according to a statement from the American Heart Association (AHA). “We do not know the optimal amount of sleep needed to minimize the risk of heart disease,” but people who get less than seven hours a night or more than nine hours may be more at…

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Early menopause tied to heart risk and early death

Women who enter menopause before age 45 are more likely to have cardiovascular problems and to die younger than women who enter menopause later in life, according to a new analysis. The findings suggest that age at menopause may help predict women’s risk for future health problems, said lead author Dr. Taulant Muka, of Erasmus University Medical Center in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. “Women with early onset of menopause may be a group to target for proactive cardiovascular prevention strategies,” Muka told Reuters Health in an email. One in 10 women…

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