Sleep disruption implications severe
Chronic sleep disruption can cause heart and kidney disease, researchers at the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre of the Toronto General Hospital have discovered. Researchers found when internal biological clocks in hamsters are out of sync with external rhythm regulators (such as light or dark), the heart becomes damaged and enlarged, and the kidney tubules sustain significant scarring. Earlier studies by the same scientists suggested that renewal of cardiovascular tissues predominantly occur during sleep; therefore sleep interruption can directly damage organs. The implications are severe for people whose jobs require varied work and sleep schedules.
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Study touts blood pressure vaccine
A vaccine that blocks so-called angiotensin II receptors, thus relaxing blood vessels to lower blood pressure, may one day replace current daily blood pressure medications, a study by vaccine inventor Martin Bachmann of Cytos Biotechnology in Switzerland suggests. The advantage of the vaccine is that it would have to be given only two or three times a year and should help patients adhere to their medication regimen, researchers say. “Poorly controlled blood pressure remains a worldwide health-care problem and contributes greatly to heart attacks, strokes and cardiovascular deaths,” said Dr. Gregg C. Fonarow, a professor of cardiology at UCLA.
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Start drinking wine, avoid midlife crisis
People who start drinking moderate amounts of alcohol in middle age, particularly wine, can lower heart attack risk up to 68 percent compared with non-drinkers, shows a study at the Medical University of South Carolina. Previous research had suggested that moderate alcohol consumption is good for the heart, but it hadn’t been clear whether starting drinking later in life confers a benefit. The study contradicts advice from the American Heart Association, which suggests that people shouldn’t start drinking in midlife simply to derive a cardiovascular benefit.
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Blood disorder has a bright side
Children with the inherited blood disorder alpha thalassemia make unusually small red blood cells that mostly cause a mild form of anemia. Now researchers have discovered that this disorder has a benefit: It can protect children against malaria, according to a study by the New York University School of Medicine. Some 800 children living in Papua New Guinea, participated in the study. Malaria is endemic in the country, and 68 percent of children living there have alpha thalassemia. But their bodies adapted to produce the natural defense.
