Does fish oil actually enhance coronary heart well being? How about aspirin or statins?
A newly launched Cleveland Clinic on-line survey of 251 Florida adults discovered that many don’t know what can hurt or enhance their coronary heart well being.
Whereas 72% of Floridians are conscious that stress can negatively influence coronary heart well being, about two in 5 don’t acknowledge that alcohol consumption and lack of sleep even have detrimental results, the survey discovered.
Nutritional vitamins: One of the widespread methods Floridians try to decrease their coronary heart illness danger is thru nutritional vitamins and dietary supplements. About 48% of survey individuals stated they take dietary supplements to assist coronary heart well being. Their prime dietary supplements for coronary heart well being embody vitamin D, multivitamins and fish oil.
Dr. Mauricio Cohen, an interventional heart specialist with Cleveland Clinic Weston Hospital, stated individuals ought to train warning when taking dietary supplements for coronary heart well being.
“I believe that sufferers have a false impression that dietary supplements have much less uncomfortable side effects and are higher than the medicines,” Cohen stated. “A number of medical trials taking a look at dietary supplements and completely different nutritional vitamins have by no means proven improved outcomes.”
He desires individuals to know that the U.S. Meals and Drug Administration doesn’t regulate dietary supplements, so the standard and amount of the substances in a complement are usually not ensured.
For individuals with excessive triglycerides, Cohen does advocate prescription fish oil, which incorporates larger concentrations of omega-3 fatty acids than over-the-counter fish oil dietary supplements.
Aspirin: Taking aspirin day by day might decrease the danger of coronary heart assault and stroke. But every day aspirin remedy isn’t for everybody, in keeping with medical doctors.
“Aspirin impacts the platelets. It decreases the formation of clots that trigger coronary heart assaults,” Cohen stated. “The function of aspirin in trendy cardiovascular medication is for sufferers who already had coronary heart assaults or strokes. It prevents recurrent coronary heart assaults and strokes and prolongs life.”
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Aspirin is advisable for coronary heart well being solely in sufferers who’ve had coronary heart incidents
Cohen recommends towards a every day aspirin for anybody who hasn’t had a earlier coronary heart drawback. “It has not confirmed to lengthen survival or lower coronary heart assaults, and there’s a potential for hurt, a small danger of elevated bleeding,” he defined.
With regards to coronary heart well being, cardiologists typically prescribe treatment to individuals at excessive danger for coronary heart illness or stroke.
Statins and medicines: Greater than 97% of Floridians surveyed by Cleveland Clinic stated they’d be keen to take a statin or different prescribed coronary heart treatment if advisable by their physician. Nevertheless, most consider that treatment needs to be a final resort.
Some individuals have uncomfortable side effects from statins, usually muscle aches. A brand new class of medication often called PCSK9 inhibitors are thought of an alternate.
“These are very efficient medicines that may be added to statins in sufferers who’re very excessive danger or can be utilized as an alternative of statins in sufferers with uncomfortable side effects,” Cohen stated. “These are good medicines … they’ve been examined in medical trials and work very effectively.”
Cleveland Clinic’s survey findings additionally reveal that three in 5 people who take coronary heart medicines admit to skipping doses or taking lower than prescribed, primarily as a result of they overlook or really feel like they take too many tablets.
“Very similar to any vital remedy, adhering to coronary heart medicines is essential for managing signs, stopping issues, and making certain long-term well being,” stated Dr. Jose Navia, vice-chief on the Coronary heart, Vascular and Thoracic Institute at Cleveland Clinic Weston Hospital. “When skipped, these medicines can not successfully stop the development of such coronary heart illness or associated situations, placing total well being at important danger.”
Household historical past performs a task in coronary heart illness, and about 88% of Floridians stated they know whether or not the medical situation runs of their household. Nevertheless, many are unaware of genetic components. A key genetic marker for coronary heart illness danger is lipoprotein(a) and solely 22% of individuals surveyed stated they’ve had their stage checked.
“On the whole medical doctors don’t check for this danger issue as a result of it’s really not modifiable,” Navia stated. “There are new efforts underway within the science neighborhood to develop medicines to lower lipoprotein(a). So we have to keep tuned.”
The American Coronary heart Affiliation’s 2025 Coronary heart Illness and Stroke Statistics Replace revealed coronary heart illness kills extra individuals within the U.S. than some other trigger together with most cancers and automobile accidents.
UF researchers uncover potential melancholy remedy
A brand new examine led by researchers at UF Well being has uncovered how mind operate makes women and men reply in a different way to acute stress. These clues might result in a brand new approach to deal with melancholy.
“Males, normally, are likely to have a higher propensity to show outward, aggressive reactions to acute stress, whereas girls have a a lot higher tendency to internalize their responses. This distinction is believed to contribute to the upper feminine prevalence of hysteria and melancholy,” stated Marco Bortolato, a professor of pharmacodynamics within the College of Florida School of Pharmacy and senior writer of the examine revealed Jan. 22 in Science Advances.
The UF examine revealed that acute stress raises ranges of sure enzymes within the entrance area of the mind in males however not girls. That enzyme is required to supply a neurosteroid known as allopregnanolone, or AP, which is the physique’s preliminary stress response that helps them shortly adapt and regulate their reactions.
This discovering may have main implications, Bortolato stated.
“For example, understanding why girls are extra inclined to melancholy than males permits us to tailor extra focused remedies,” he stated. “In the end, these findings may assist information the event of medication that particularly modulate stress responses.”
He sees potential to translate these findings into new medicines with steroid-based compounds that might deal with types of melancholy immune to present therapies.
“Melancholy is the main explanation for incapacity worldwide, largely attributable to growing ranges of persistent stress,” Bortolato stated. “Typical antidepressants typically take two to 4 weeks to point out preliminary outcomes. Conversely, AP-based remedies may have a lot quicker results. Enhancing our skill to supply AP may rework the best way we strategy melancholy and different stress-related problems.”
Coronary heart transplant recipients, medical doctors reunite
To rejoice Coronary heart Well being Month, about 100 coronary heart transplant recipients will reunite with their medical doctors on Monday at Memorial Regional Hospital Convention Heart. Included within the celebration might be Maria Cattani, who hosts an environment-focused podcast; Portia Brown, who had each a coronary heart and kidney transplant; Marina Alix, who had the primary coronary heart transplant in Broward County; and Karenine Chery, who has returned to her profession as a nurse at Joe DiMaggio Youngsters’s Hospital.
The hospital has accomplished 148 grownup coronary heart transplants and 87 youngsters since launching 10 years in the past. Memorial stated the center transplant program has grown within the final yr, with 43 grownup transplants accomplished in 2024.
STD charges rising in Florida, condom use declining
Florida’s Sexually Transmitted Illness disaster is rising: Charges have surged 42% previously decade, reaching their highest ranges since 1990. In 2023, Florida reported 788 STD circumstances per 100,000 individuals, up from 762 circumstances per 100,000 individuals in 2022.
The pattern is pushed by a number of components, together with declining condom use, in keeping with The Guttmacher Institute, a nonprofit that researches sexual well being.
Guttmacher stories that condom use amongst adolescent males dropped from 78% for the 5 years between 2011–2015 to 72% from 2015–2019. The U.S. Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention confirms STDs nationally stay at disaster ranges.
Deliberate Parenthood of South, East, and North Florida desires Floridians to know that routine sexually transmitted an infection testing has grow to be extra handy. Fast exams take solely about 10 minutes and supply same-day outcomes. The exams could be completed free of charge or at a low price at Deliberate Parenthood clinics in addition to pressing care facilities, well being facilities, and a few pharmacies.
Acquired well being suggestions or feedback? South Florida Solar Sentinel well being reporter Cindy Goodman could be reached at cgoodman@sunsentinel.com.