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March 7, 2023

Heart-healthy habits linked to longer life without chronic conditions

A woman wearing leggings and workout clothes runs up a staircase in the rain at night — A study found that heart-healthy lifestyle habits described in the American Heart Association’s Life’s Essential 8, such as physical activity and quality sleep, are associated with a longer lifespan and more years spent free of chronic conditions such as type 2 diabetes and cancer. urbazon/Getty Images

The American Heart Association’s Life’s Essential 8 is a concept that defines cardiovascular health based on four modifiable behaviors, such as physical activity and sleep, and four modifiable biometric measures, such as weight, blood glucose, and blood lipid levels, that impact cardiovascular health.
The composite cardiovascular health score measured using the aforementioned eight metrics can help clinicians measure and monitor cardiovascular health to prevent or treat cardiovascular diseases.
A recent study showed that an optimal composite cardiovascular score based on the Life’s Essential 8 metrics was associated with longer life expectancy free of chronic conditions such as cancer and cardiovascular diseases.
An accompanying study showed that the decline in deaths due to cardiovascular disease contributed significantly to the increase in life expectancy associated with good cardiovascular health.

Two related studies recently presented at the American Health Association (AHA) conference suggest that optimal cardiovascular health (CVH) was associated with a longer chronic disease-free lifespan, reduced cardiovascular mortality, and increased total longevity.

These studies assessed CVH using the criteria defined by Life’s Essential 8, thus underscoring the validity and utility of cardiovascular health scores based on this construct as predictors of life expectancy and cardiovascular diseases (CVD).

Dr. Hao Ma, a biostatistical analyst at the Tulane University Obesity Research Center and an author of one of the studies, said:

“After decades of strong growth, the rise in US life expectancy has stagnated since 2010. The main reason for such a phenomenon is the poor cardiovascular health in the US population. Our study indicates that adhering to a high CVH, defined as the Life’s Essential 8 score, is related to a considerably increased life expectancy. Moreover, our findings lend support to the validity of the newly released Life’s Essentia 8 metrics in assessment and monitoring CVH in the general populations.”

In 2010, the American Heart Association (AHA) developed a prescription for health called Life’s Simple 7, consisting of seven measurable risk factors or metrics that together represented cardiovascular health. The AHA revised Life’Simple 7 to create Life’s Essential 8 in 2022 to improve the measurement and monitoring of cardiovascular health and facilitate cardiovascular disease prevention and treatment.

The eight metrics comprising the construct, Life’s Essential 8 include physical activity, diet, smoking and other forms of nicotine exposure, sleep, body mass index, blood glucose, blood lipids, and blood pressure. Each metric included in Life’s Essential 8 is measured on a continuous scale of 0-100. These individual metrics are used to calculate the composite or cumulative cardiovascular health score that also ranges from 0 to 100 points.

Although life expectancy has increased in the past few decades, it has been accompanied by an increase in the prevalence of chronic conditions, such as cardiovascular conditions and cancer. The combined effects of the metrics included in Life’s Essential 8 — such as being more active, quitting tobacco use and managing blood pressure — are associated with increased total life expectancy.

However, studies have not examined the association between the composite cardiovascular health score, calculated as defined by the updated Life’s Essential 8, and total life expectancy and disease-free life span.

Two studies recently presented at the AHA conference assessed whether ideal composite cardiovascular health scores were associated with increased life expectancy in the absence of chronic health conditions and reduced mortality due to cardiovascular diseases.

The first study examined whether the cardiovascular health score was associated with an increase in total life expectancy and life expectancy in the absence of chronic conditions.

The study analyzed data collected by the UK Biobank from more than 136,000 adults residing in the United Kingdom who, at the time of enrollment, did not have cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, or dementia and had data on cardiovascular health scores.

The individuals were classified as having poor, intermediate, or ideal cardiovascular health based on the criteria defined by Life’s Essential 8. The researchers found that average life expectancy at 50 years of age was prolonged by 5.2 and 6.3 years in men and women with ideal CVH, respectively, compared with their counterparts with poor CVH.

Individuals with ideal CVH scores also had more years of life free of major chronic conditions, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, dementia, and cancer, than those with poor CVH. Specifically, men and women with ideal CVH were expected to spend 75.9{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} and 83.4{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809}, respectively, of their lives in good health, whereas their male and female counterparts with poor CVH were expected to spend 64.9{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} and 69.4{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} of their lives free of chronic disease.

Previous studies have shown that low socioeconomic status is associated with lower disease-free life expectancy. In the present study, researchers found that maintaining ideal cardiovascular health helped reduce the impact of low socioeconomic status on disease-free life expectancy.

The second study examined the impact of maintaining ideal cardiovascular health on potential improvements in life expectancy due to a decrease in cardiovascular deaths. The study analyzed data from 23,000 adults participating in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) between 2005 and 2018. Using a national death registry, the researchers determined that 1,359 participants died during the average follow-up period of 7.8 years.

Consistent with the first study, participants with ideal cardiovascular health had longer life expectancies than individuals with poor cardiovascular health. Specifically, the life expectancy of men and women with ideal CVH at 50 years of age was an average of 7.5 years and 8.9 years, respectively, longer than their counterparts with poor CVH.

Notably, 41.8{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} and 44.1{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} of the increase in life expectancy at 50 years of age in men and women with ideal CVH scores, respectively, could be attributed to a decline in deaths due to cardiovascular disease. Among ethnic groups, the CVH score was also associated with longer life expectancy in White and Black Americans, but not Mexican Americans.

Both studies also had a few limitations. Dr. Ma noted that the data on lifestyle factors such as diet and sleep patterns from the NHANES database were self-reported and hence, prone to errors. Moreover, the metrics used to measure cardiovascular health in both studies were assessed only at baseline, but not during the follow-up period.

Medical News Today also spoke with Dr. Alexandra Lajoie, a noninvasive cardiologist at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, CA, who was not involved in the study.

“The results of these studies are not surprising. Research continues to show us that healthy lifestyle interventions are good for health outcomes, and often are even more important than prescription medications.”

Dr. Lajoie said it is possible to reverse some of the effects of not living a heart-healthy lifestyle earlier in life, but it’s better to consistently maintain a lifestyle that’s beneficial to one’s health.

“Of course the ideal would be to follow healthy habits from the start, but starting exercise, getting better sleep, and maintaining a healthybody weight improves blood pressure and blood sugar, and consequently reduces cardiovascular event risk, for decades beyond age 50,” she explained. “Quitting smoking is the best [thing] to improve heart health. After that it’s maintaining a regular exercise routine.

January 9, 2023

Hydration may be key to a longer life, lower risk of chronic disease

A middle aged male wearing exercise clothes drinks a bottle of water outside — Higher levels of serum sodium are an indicator of dehydration, which may lead to chronic disease and premature death, according to a recent study. Guille Faingold/Stocksy

A recent study hypothesized that optimal hydration may contribute to healthy aging in humans.
Researchers looked at levels of serum sodium in the body as an indicator of hydration.
The findings show that higher levels of serum sodium during middle age may contribute to the development of chronic disease and possibly premature death.
Further studies are still needed to determine the link between hydration and aging.
The correct amount of water a person should drink to stay hydrated may vary depending on their health and age.

A new study from researchers at the U.S. National Institute of Health (NIH) reports that middle-aged people who have higher serum sodium levels in their blood are more likely to experience poor health and a higher risk of early mortality.

Serum sodium levels may become elevated when a person has not consumed enough fluids. Healthy serum sodium levels range from 135–145 milliequivalents per liter (mEq/L).

The most usual cause for high sodium levels is insufficient water intake.

In addition, researchers found that participants with low serum sodium levels (less than 142 mEq/L) had up to a 50{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} increased risk of being older than their chronological age.

The findings of the study were recently published in eBioMedicine.

Researchers at the NIH’s Laboratory of Cardiovascular Medicine performed a cohort analysis of data from the 1985–2021 Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study (ARIC).

At the time of enrollment, ARIC’s participants ranged from 45 to 66 years old. The study’s 15,752 participants were followed for 25 years.

For the new study, serum sodium served as a proxy for water consumption since high levels closely align with hypohydration or water insufficiency.

Natalia I. Dmitrieva, Ph.D., lead study author and NIH researcher in Bethesda, MD, told Medical News Today the study was motivated by earlier research from the authors, which showed that lifelong hypohydration “accelerated degenerative changes and shortened lifespan” in mice.

Dr. Dmitrieva explained that water-restricted mice lived 6 months less than sufficiently hydrated mice — this is about the equivalent of shortening a human lifespan by 15 years.

Recently developed biomarkers for measuring aging in humans made confirming these outcomes in humans possible, Dr. Dmitrieva noted. These include blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol, and other indicators that reveal how well a person’s cardiovascular, respiratory, metabolic, renal, and immune systems are functioning.

The original mouse findings are mirrored in the new study’s conclusion.

“Our study suggests that long-term habitual hypohydration increases the risk of developing chronic diseases later in life and dying at a younger age,” Dr. Dmitrieva said.

While conventional wisdom recommends 8 glasses of water — 64 ounces — each day, this amount is not sufficiently supported by evidence.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the optimal amount of water a person should consume daily depends on the individual.

Among young adults and middle-aged people, the average amount of water intake varies by age:

For ages 20-39, the CDC suggests an average of 51 ounces daily.
For ages 40-59, 43 ounces of water per day is the average.

Michelle Routhenstein, MS, RD, CDE, CDN, a heart health dietitian at Entirely Nourished in New York, not involved in the study, told MNT that some people may require less water than the average recommendations.

For instance, if people who have heart failure “drink too much water, it can cause fluid build up in the body, and contribute to shortness of breath,” Routhenstein said.

People with kidney failure, she added, may also drink less water since their kidneys are less equipped to maintain a balance of fluid in their bodies.

In contrast, some individuals may require more water, such as those with a higher body mass index (BMI).

But for many people, it’s also possible to consume too much water.

“When you drink too much water, your kidneys cannot get rid of the excess, and it can cause hyponatremia, a dilution of sodium in your blood, which can be a life threatening event,” Routhenstein said.

Dr. Dmitrieva noted that coffee, tea, and electrolyte beverages can count toward your hydration goals, “but generally, they should not be your main hydration source.”

“Choosing plain water or adding cucumber, lemon, or lime is most advisable as your main source of hydration for optimal heart health,” Dr. Dmitrieva said.

She added that water-rich foods, in which 90{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} or more of their content is water, are also good options. Hydrating foods include watermelon, cucumber, and strawberries.

“Oral rehydration involves more than just drinking water,” Dr. M. Ramin Modabber, an orthopedic surgeon at Cedars-Sinai Kerlan-Jobe Institute in Los Angeles, not involved in the study, told MNT.

Dr. Modabber, who served as medical director for the Tour of California road cycling race, noted that when a person is exerting themselves, they lose sugars and electrolytes, which need to be replenished.

In addition to water and sports drinks, he recommended coconut water, pickle juice, electrolyte-infused waters or electrolyte tablets, homemade electrolyte drinks, smoothies, fruit juices, or Pedialyte.

“Hydration is important for all ages, and a population survey finds that about 50{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} of people do not drink recommended amounts, including children,” Dr. Dmitrieva said.

“This percent is even higher for older people, who tend to drink less because thirst sensation deteriorates as we get older.”

Dr. Dmitrieva suggested the best way to stay adequately hydrated is to keep track of how much fluid you drink each day. She advised that people take special care to drink enough in hot environments or when engaging in intensive sports activities.

“Weekend warriors [and] athletes demonstrate a wide variability in baseline physiology, overall health status, medical conditions, injuries, training regimens, and other factors,” Dr. Modabber added.

He recommended being vigilant for signs of dehydration, characterizing the most obvious and concerning symptoms as being “[reduced] sweat response, mental status changes, and decreased or absent urine output.”

“Pay particular attention to pre-hydration — ‘topping off the tank’ before endurance activities,” Dr. Modabber said.

June 8, 2022

Cannabis for chronic pain relief: How effective is it?

Hashish can at times be made use of as a strategy of persistent suffering reduction, but there is a good deal about cannabis’ overall health advantages and associated risks that researchers still really don’t comprehend.
New analysis observed that some hashish solutions containing THC and CBD elements may possibly support with the quick-time period improvement of chronic suffering.
The conclusions also counsel a chance of sedation and dizziness associated with use, and there desires to be far more data on the very long-phrase influence.

Numerous people today practical experience persistent pain or discomfort that lasts for an extended time period. Gurus are continuously exploring new solutions of suffering aid and new medicine solutions. 1 spot of desire is the use of hashish products and solutions as a method of suffering aid.

A modern systematic critique published in the Annals of Internal Medication found that cannabis merchandise might enable address long-term agony in the quick time period. Even so, medical specialists need to weigh this from the likely drawbacks of amplified dizziness and sedation. It is also unclear no matter whether or not these items are helpful in the extensive expression.

Persistent ache lasts for months or for a longer period, and tens of millions of older people in the U.S. expertise continual soreness. Simply because many folks working experience continual pain, authorities are continually doing the job to assess probable treatments and therapies. As experts continue on to analysis the medicinal takes advantage of of cannabis, a single region of fascination is how doctors could use it to handle chronic suffering.

Cannabis is a plant, and persons can use distinct plant parts to develop many products. The two key compounds of cannabis are cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).

Some products and solutions comprise equally THC and CBD. The CBD part does not result in head-altering outcomes, though the THC portion brings about the superior men and women to encounter when they use hashish. Some of these linked merchandise are offered in the U.S., when some are not. At present, the Foods and Drug Administration has approved using two remedies that contain THC: Marinol and Syndros.

This systematic critique sought “To appraise the advantages and harms of cannabinoids for persistent soreness.” The expression Cannabinoids refers to compounds that incorporate both equally THC and CBD.

Scientists employed quite a few databases to acquire the research they reviewed. They incorporated scientific tests prepared in English that addressed the use of hashish items as a treatment for chronic agony. Particularly, the analyze involved a stick to-up or treatment method time of four months or more. The analysis bundled placebo-controlled randomized controlled trials and cohort experiments in which the use of cannabis had a concurrent control team.

They incorporated a overall of 25 scientific studies in their examination. Researchers examined the products applied in the research and seemed at the THC-to-CBD ratio. Did the products contain a substantial THC total and a minimal CBD total, was the amount about equal or did the solution have a reduced THC sum and a superior CBD amount of money?

The results of the review were relatively missing. The information was inadequate for some items to establish if they properly addressed continual suffering. Nonetheless, researchers did find some conclusions that supported the success of hashish items:

Artificial oral goods with a superior THC-to-CBD ratio may lead to quick-term continual suffering relief.
Sublingual extracted hashish products and solutions with nearly equal THC-to-CBD proportions could possibly be associated with brief-term advancements in chronic agony.

Nonetheless, they located that people today who use these solutions might also expertise an greater threat for dizziness and sedation, which physicians will need to have to weigh in opposition to the potential positive aspects. Over-all, they also identified that experts will need to perform a lot more studies about the lengthy-phrase results of cannabis use.

Review writer Marian S. McDonagh located the deficiency of data surprising. She discussed:

“With so significantly excitement close to cannabis-similar solutions, and the easy availability of leisure and healthcare cannabis in numerous states, buyers and clients may well believe there would be much more proof about the advantages and facet outcomes. Regretably, there is incredibly tiny scientifically legitimate investigate into most these products.”

Professor Winston Morgan, pharmacology and toxicology specialist with the University of East London, not associated with the analyze, famous the subsequent to Professional medical Information Today:

“For any new mediation it need to boost on existing treatments in phrases of both efficacy and basic safety. For many years cannabinoids have promised but in no way very supply. This assessment which normally takes an attention-grabbing technique on the advantages and harms of cannabinoids for chronic discomfort, suggest that only average advantages can be acquired with merchandise with high THC ratios, but these are more likely to trigger adverse consequences. Regrettably these adverse results may possibly also limit prolonged time period use.”

This systematic overview yielded some handy facts. On the other hand, it also had a number of limits. 1st of all, researchers created sure choices for the duration of the review course of action that may possibly have impacted the overview outcomes, these types of as how specified hashish merchandise have been classified. The strategies of analyzing the knowledge do have a hazard of imprecision.

They were being also not able to assess publication bias on a lot of results owing to available facts and did not incorporate scientific tests that weren’t created in English. Last but not least, distinctive studies made use of diverse interventions, and some reports lacked particulars. For some items, there was simply just insufficient evidence.

Scientists of the systematic critique approach to update the assessment quarterly so that they can increase new evidence as it emerges. In general, this paper demonstrates some of the latest understandings of hashish and the have to have for further more research. Physicians can examine evaluations like this just one to support guidebook their individuals in the remedy of serious soreness.

Examine creator Devan Kansagara, MD, M.C.R explained:

“This new living proof assessment is particularly the variety of useful resource clinicians will need to clarify for people the
places of probable guarantee, the cannabis formulations that have been studied and, importantly, the
big gaps in expertise.”