Latest news with #JournaloftheAmericanCollegeofCardiology
Epoch Times
11-07-2025
- Health
- Epoch Times
Many Older Americans Still Take Daily Aspirin Despite Warnings, Survey Finds
Around one in six older Americans are still taking aspirin on a daily basis for preventing heart attack or stroke, despite updated guidelines saying that the practice is no longer warranted for older adults, according to a recent The results were published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology earlier this month, surveying more than 2,500 adults aged 50 to 80.
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Business Standard
03-07-2025
- Health
- Business Standard
How heart attack symptoms in women differ from men and why it matters
Heart conditions among Indian women are on the rise—and at an alarming rate. Research published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology shows that the prevalence of coronary artery disease in Indian women ranges from 3 per cent to 13 per cent, depending on age. Even more concerning, this number has increased by nearly 300 per cent over the past two decades. The mean age for a heart attack in Indian women is 59 years, significantly lower than the average in developed countries. Meanwhile, the prevalence of heart failure has more than doubled, rising from 1.1 per cent in 2000 to 2.6 per cent in 2015. These figures make it clear: India needs greater awareness, early screening, and a gender-specific approach to heart health. How do heart attack symptoms in women differ from those in men? Heart attack symptoms in women are often subtle and differ from the classic signs seen in men. While men usually report severe chest pain, women are more likely to experience discomfort in the back, jaw, or stomach, along with breathlessness, unusual fatigue, nausea, or dizziness. These symptoms can be mistaken for acidity, weakness, or anxiety, especially in Indian settings where women tend to ignore their health issues. This difference in symptom presentation often leads to late diagnosis and delayed treatment, particularly in younger or post-menopausal women who may not be perceived to be at high cardiac risk. Why are heart attacks in women often misdiagnosed or missed? Heart attacks in women are often overlooked because their symptoms tend to differ from the typical patterns seen in men. Many women delay seeking medical help, attributing signs like breathlessness, indigestion, or fatigue to daily stress or household responsibilities. For example, a woman in her forties may present with persistent fatigue and a burning sensation in the chest or upper abdomen, which may be mistaken for acidity. Similarly, a homemaker experiencing jaw pain or dizziness might dismiss it as exhaustion. These situations are increasingly common in urban and semi-urban India, where a lack of awareness about female-specific cardiac symptoms leads to delayed treatment. What are the unique risk factors and warning signs for women? Yes, there are several risk factors unique to women that must not be ignored. Hormonal changes due to early menopause, pregnancy-related conditions like high blood pressure or gestational diabetes, and conditions like PCOS increase the likelihood of future heart problems. Mental health issues and chronic stress, especially in urban women juggling work and family, also raise the risk. Warning signs like sudden tiredness, shortness of breath on routine tasks, chest discomfort, or disturbed sleep should not be taken lightly. Women must be proactive, especially if there's a family history of heart disease or lifestyle-related disorders. What preventive steps should women take across life stages? Heart health must be prioritised from an early age. In their twenties and thirties, women should maintain a balanced diet, regular physical activity, and avoid smoking and excessive sugar or salt. In their forties and fifties, routine health check-ups for blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol become crucial, particularly around menopause. Beyond sixty, managing existing conditions like diabetes or thyroid issues is essential, along with staying mentally and physically active. Which tests help detect heart risks early in women? To truly assess heart health—especially for women who may have subtle or 'silent' symptoms—more detailed testing is often required: Echocardiogram (ECHO): Non-invasive ultrasound that checks heart structure and function (₹2,000–₹3,500) Treadmill Test (TMT): Evaluates how the heart responds to stress or exercise (₹1,500–₹3,000) Apolipoproteins A and B: Advanced cholesterol markers that offer deeper insights (₹1,000–₹1,800) Plaque Imaging (Coronary Calcium Scoring/CT Angiography): Detects plaques in arteries before they block (₹4,000–₹10,000) By combining these tests, doctors can offer a more comprehensive and personalised view of cardiovascular health. What treatment gaps still exist for women? Dr Nilesh Gautam, cardiologist at Lilavati Hospital, Mumbai told Business Standard: 'Women often respond differently to heart attack treatments than men, and this significantly affects outcomes. Men typically reach hospitals faster, report classic symptoms like chest pain, and are more likely to receive timely interventions such as angioplasty or clot-dissolving medication. Women, on the other hand, frequently experience subtler symptoms, which leads to delayed hospital visits and often missed diagnoses.' 'Even when treated, women are more likely to experience complications from procedures and side effects from standard cardiac medications like statins or blood thinners. These differences, supported by multiple Indian and global studies, translate into slower recovery, higher post-treatment risk, and poorer long-term outcomes in women. Recognising these distinctions is key to delivering gender-sensitive care in India,' he added. What is the way forward for women's heart health? Despite the rising numbers, heart health in women remains under-researched and under-reported. Public awareness campaigns, routine check-ups, and proactive prevention strategies are the need of the hour. As Dr Gautam suggests, women must be empowered to recognise symptoms early and seek timely care. Heart disease may not discriminate, but our response to it must be more inclusive.
Yahoo
27-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Foldax Announces Positive One-Year Data on TRIA Mitral Valve
Clinical Trial Results Presented at New York Valves and Concurrently Published in Journal of the American College of Cardiology (JACC) SALT LAKE CITY, June 27, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Foldax® Inc., a leader in the development of innovative polymer heart valves, today announced compelling one-year results from the India Clinical Trial of the TRIA™ Mitral Valve, showing a good safety profile, sustained hemodynamic performance, and statistically significant improvement in patient quality of life. These are the first one-year outcomes ever presented for a multicenter clinical study of a polymer heart valve worldwide. Results were presented today at New York Valves 2025, the annual conference organized by the Cardiovascular Research Foundation (CRF), and concurrently published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology (JACC). Key one-year results from the trial showed: No valve-related mortality or reinterventions >50% reduction in mean gradient (9.7 mmHg to 4.5 mmHg) and >90% increase in effective orifice area (0.9 cm² to 1.5 cm²), the highest reported in similar surgical mitral valve studies 24-point improvement in KCCQ score (57.5 to 81.9) and 65% increase in Six-Minute Walk Test distance (298.1 m to 494.8 m), indicating significant improvement in quality of life The prospective, multicenter trial enrolled 67 patients aged 19 to 67 across eight sites in India, with an average age of 42. Notably, 64% were women, and of these, nearly half were of childbearing age, a significantly larger percentage than typically seen in clinical studies. Seventy-three percent of patients had rheumatic heart disease. "It is exciting to see the positive clinical outcomes associated with this novel polymer valve," said Isaac George, M.D., Surgical Director of the Heart Valve Center at Columbia University. "This new type of valve sets out to reimagine how a device can address clinical needs that are underserved by current valve solutions." "I am proud to be the principal investigator in India for this groundbreaking trial and represent the highly esteemed clinical investigators who participated in the study," said Kaushal Pandey, M.D., Principal Investigator of the TRIA Mitral Valve India Clinical Trial and Cardiac Surgeon at P.D. Hinduja Hospital in Mumbai. "The TRIA Mitral Valve provides hope for Indian patients—including younger patients and many women of childbearing age—for whom current valve options often fall short." Foldax's vision for its novel polymer heart valves is to address the limitations of tissue and mechanical options by making its valves durable, with the future goal of avoiding a requirement for lifelong anticoagulation. TRIA valves incorporate a proprietary polymer—LifePolymer™ —formulated to be calcium-resistant, biostable and biocompatible. The novel polymer material enables TRIA valves to be robotically produced, which is designed to increase manufacturing efficiency and maximize product quality and precision. "These results validate our strategy of taking heart valve therapy to a new level by bringing innovation to a platform of products that will help patients globally," said Ken Charhut, CEO of Foldax. The Journal of the American College of Cardiology (JACC) publication can be viewed at: *The TRIA Mitral Valve is approved for use in India by CDSCO. The TRIA Mitral Valve is for investigational use only and is not available for commercial sale in the U.S. About Foldax Headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, Foldax is reinventing every aspect of the heart valve—from material to design to manufacturing—to develop surgical and transcatheter valves with the potential to last a lifetime, addressing limitations of tissue and mechanical valves. Foldax investors include Angel Physicians Fund, Biostar Capital, Caltech, Glenview Capital, Kairos Ventures, Memorial Care Innovation Fund and Sayan Bioventures. For more information on the TRIA Mitral Valve and Foldax's commitment to revolutionizing heart valve care, visit View source version on Contacts MEDIA CONTACT: Michelle McAdam, Chronic Communications, (310) 902-1274
Business Mayor
17-05-2025
- Health
- Business Mayor
Who needs more exercise: Women or men?
Exercising regularly is known to lower the risk of death, especially from heart problems. But scientists have discovered that that reduction in risk may differ between the sexes, with some people reaping greater benefits in less workout time. So, who has to exercise more to reduce their risk of death: Women or men? It turns out that women may reap these survival benefits more easily than men do. That's according to a large study published in 2024 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology , which included data from more than 412,000 American adults ages 27 to 61, 55% of whom were female. You may like 'The beauty of this study is learning that women can get more out of each minute of moderate to vigorous activity than men do,' study co-lead author Dr. Martha Gulati , director of preventive cardiology in the Smidt Heart Institute at Cedars-Sinai, said in a statement . 'It's an incentivizing notion that we hope women will take to heart.' The researchers collected participants' physical activity data via the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), the largest and longest-running health survey in the U.S. The study looked at data collected between 1997 and 2017. Related: 11 minutes of moderate exercise a day cuts early death risk by 20%, huge analysis suggests The survey itself included questions about the types of exercises people performed and at what frequencies, durations and intensities. It also included participants' socioeconomic and demographic characteristics and medical conditions. The study excluded people who had certain health conditions at the start of the study time frame, such as coronary heart disease or cancer. Read More Most melatonin gummies have higher doses than what's on the label Get the world's most fascinating discoveries delivered straight to your inbox. The researchers also looked through the National Death Index — a national database of death records — for deaths from any cause, as well as cardiovascular-related deaths. The data from survey participants is linked to this death-record data , so the researchers could then connect the data from their NHIS participants to the mortality data through the end of 2019. Overall, 39,935 participants died in the study timeframe, including 11,670 cardiovascular-related deaths, such as those from heart disease, heart attacks and strokes. About 32% of the women and 43% of the men surveyed said they engaged in regular aerobic exercise , exercising for at least 150 minutes per week. Compared to inactive individuals of the same sex, women who exercised regularly had up to a 24% lower risk of death from any cause. For men who exercised regularly, however, the reduction in mortality risk reached only 15%. Women also gained these survival benefits much more quickly than men did, the study found. In men, the highest reduction in death risk was seen at about 300 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) per week. That came with an 18% reduction in all-cause mortality. Women saw an equal benefit in less than half that time, at about 140 minutes of MVPA a week. Women who trained more than that each week saw a greater benefit until they also peaked at around 300 minutes of weekly MVPA. That trend held true across all durations of exercise, the researchers found, with women consistently seeing 'proportionately greater benefits' for any amount of exercise than men did. About 20% of women and 28% of men said they engaged in two or more sessions of strength training, such as lifting weights, each week. Overall, though, women reported an average of about 0.85 sessions per week, while men averaged 1.25 sessions per week. On average, the women who strength-trained at least twice a week had a 19% lower mortality risk than women who trained less often or not at all. Men, on average, saw a 11% lower risk compared with inactive men. These benefits were even greater when it came to cardiovascular health specifically. Related: Why is it harder for some people to build muscle than others? Compared with inactive individuals, women who performed aerobic physical activity had a 36% lower cardiovascular mortality risk, while for active men, this risk reduction was about 14%. Muscle strengthening produced similar outcomes, with a cardiovascular risk reduction of 30% for women and 11% for men, compared to baseline. 'What surprised us the most was the fact that women who do muscle strengthening had a reduction in their cardiovascular mortality by 30%,' Gulati told NPR . 'We don't have many things that reduce mortality in that way,' she added. The study did have some limitations, including that people's exercise data was self-reported, so it relied on the participants accurately reporting their activity study also tracked only leisure-time exercise, meaning it didn't count exercise completed during household tasks or as part of a job, which may have also contributed to the results. In addition, the study didn't account for potentially unassessed health issues in some participants, or changes in people's exercise trends over time. That said, the results echo similar findings from a 2011 meta-analysis published in the journal Circulation . This review of 33 studies concluded that there was a stronger link between exercise and lower death risk in women than men. The researchers behind the 2024 study hope their findings could help motivate more women to exercise, whether through traditional ' cardio ' or muscle strengthening regimes including bodyweight exercises or lifting weights. 'I am hopeful that this pioneering research will motivate women who are not currently engaged in regular physical activity to understand that they are in a position to gain tremendous benefit for each increment of regular exercise they are able to invest in their longer-term health,' Dr. Christine Albert , chair of the Department of Cardiology in the Smidt Heart Institute who was not involved in the study, said in the statement.
Daily Record
30-04-2025
- Health
- Daily Record
Anti-inflammatory spice that could help lower cholesterol levels
Recent studies have shown that a well-loved spice could be the key to reducing cholesterol and even fighting cancer. This particular fruit is packed with a compound renowned for its multitude of health benefits. Chilli peppers are emerging as a potential ally for heart health and more, due to capsaicin, the fiery component that gives chillies their heat, reports the Express. Not only does capsaicin bring the spice to chillies, but it also has properties that may lower cholesterol and help in the fight against cancer and arthritis. A 2022 study published in the Frontiers in Nutrition journal highlighted capsaicin's effects on cholesterol levels. This research involved an analysis of nine controlled trials with 461 patients suffering from metabolic syndrome—a combination of health issues that heighten the risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. The results showed that capsaicin significantly reduced total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, commonly known as "bad" cholesterol. The study's authors stated: "Capsaicin (CAP) supplementation is a promising approach to decreasing total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels in patients with metabolic syndrome. However, short-term (less than 12 weeks) use of CAP in women may also reduce triglycerides [a type of fat found in the blood] levels." Other studies have suggested that chillies and their fiery compound capsaicin might be useful in combating heart disease. A standout piece of research published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology from 2019 highlighted a connection between regular chilli consumption and a decreased risk of heart disease mortality. The study scrutinised the eating habits and health records of over 22,000 individuals living in Southern Italy, with an average follow-up period just over eight years. The results were quite remarkable: individuals who ate chilli peppers more than four times per week appeared to have about one-third reduction in death risk from heart disease compared to those who avoided these piquant pods. Intriguingly, this benefit seemed to hold true regardless of whether participants adhered to a Mediterranean diet or consumed less healthy diets. The researchers concluded: "In a large adult Mediterranean population, regular consumption of chilli pepper is associated with a lower risk of total and cardiovascular disease (CVD) death independent of CVD risk factors or adherence to a Mediterranean diet. Known biomarkers of CVD risk only marginally mediate the association of chilli pepper intake with mortality." Adding to the wealth of knowledge, a 2021 study published in the Angiology journal brought together data from four separate studies examining the intake of spicy food – specifically chilli peppers, chilli sauce, or chilli oil – and its connection to cardiovascular disease. This collective research, involving 564,748 participants over an average period of 9.7 years, uncovered an intriguing association between regular consumption of spicy food and health advantages. Researchers identified that individuals who frequently enjoy spicy foods have a lower mortality risk overall, as well as reduced death rates from cardiovascular diseases. Their findings revealed: "The pooled data suggested that compared with people who did not regularly consume spicy food, regular consumers of spicy food experienced a 12% lower risk of all-cause mortality." Moreover, they noticed that eating spicy food correlates significantly with a decreased risk of death from heart disease but found no similar link regarding cerebrovascular conditions. In their conclusion, the researchers indicated: "Available epidemiological studies suggest that the consumption of spicy chilli food is associated with reduced risk of all-cause as well as heart disease-related mortality. Further studies in different populations are needed to confirm this association." In a study featured in the 2022 edition of the Molecules journal, it was suggested that capsaicin could play a crucial role in warding off obesity. The research also pointed out its anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer qualities. The scientists involved noted: "Capsaicinoids act against high cholesterol levels and obesity, show anticancer effects, and are used to treat arthritis pain."
