Respiratory infections can trigger a heart attack and a new study finds that danger lingers for days. Research in Internal Medicine Journal said the risk goes up at the beginning of respiratory symptoms and then peaks in the first week. During that time, the risk of a heart attack is 17 times higher than usual.
For women, the risk for heart failure may depend partly on when they reach menopause. Research by the American College of Cardiology examined more than 28,000 women. They found those who reached menopause at an earlier age or who never gave birth are at a higher risk for heart failure.
Doctors believe there’s a way to prevent hundreds of thousands of strokes each year. Researchers studied more than half a million people with an irregular heartbeat, known as atrial fibrillation. They found four out of ten of those patients are not receiving the recommended blooding thinner they need to prevent strokes. Those medications can reduce their risk by two thirds.
Sources:
1 – Journal of the American College of Cardiology
2 – Journal of the American College of Cardiology
3 – Internal Medicine Journal
