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Sunday, December 30, 2012

Diet May Reduce Risk Of Recurrent Heart Attacks.


USA Today Share to FacebookShare to Twitter (12/2, Szabo) reports on a study Share to FacebookShare to Twitter published in the journal Circulation, finding that "people with heart disease who adopt a healthy diet -- in addition to taking their medications -- cut their risk of dying from heart disease by an additional 35%. ... The healthy eaters in the nearly 4½-year study also cut their risk of another heart attack by 14%; a stroke by 19%; and congestive heart failure by 28%." Study author Mahshid Dehghan, McMaster University in Ontario, Canada, said, "Even a slight change in diet has a good effect." The study covered 32,000 patients who "were taking medications such as aspirin...statins; and blood pressure medications." The researchers said that "they observed what people were eating, and adjusted their findings for factors such as weight, smoking and exercise," but "they acknowledge that something other than diet could have lowered patient's heart disease risks."
        On the front of its Personal Journal section, the Wall Street Journal Share to FacebookShare to Twitter (12/4, D1, Dooren, Subscription Publication) reports that the participants in the study all had a history of heart disease, stroke or Type 2 diabetes and were 55 or older. Participants were categorized into five levels of heart-healthy diet based on how often they reported eating dairy, meat, fish, fruits, and vegetables, as well as fried foods and whole grains.
        The Huffington Post Share to FacebookShare to Twitter (12/3) remarks, "The positive effects of a fruit-and-veggie-heavy diet on the heart are hardly surprising."
        HealthDay Share to FacebookShare to Twitter (12/4, Reinberg) reports, "The study included countries in North America, South America, Europe, Australia, Asia and the Middle East." Among the participants, "over five years of follow-up, more than 5,000 had a heart attack or stroke."
        Heartwire Share to FacebookShare to Twitter (12/4, Nainggolan) quotes Dehghan, who said, "Our main finding was that a heart-healthy diet-rich in fruits, vegetables, nuts, whole grains, and fish-significantly reduced the chance of a second heart attack or stroke or death." Indeed, "consumption of such a diet reduced the relative risk of cardiovascular death by 35%, MI by 14%, stroke by 19%, and congestive heart failure (CHF) by 28%, compared with those eating the poorest diet."

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