Studies address cardiovascular risk factors

AVENTURA, Fla. – Recent studies are providing more evidence that depression and anxiety and stress can increase the risk of heart attack and stroke.

A study based in Dallas found that stress leads to behaviors such as smoking which negatively affects heart health and increases cardiovascular disease risk factors.

“And this should be an identifiable risk factor and this should be something physicians should be asking the patients and these are matters patients should be asking physicians about modifying and there are many ways of modifying the stress, some pharmacological, some non-pharmacological but we need to be more aggressive both on the medical and on the patient end, identifying this and understanding that what you do today leads to consequences years down the line,” said cardiologist Dr. Leonard Pianko.

He said a separate Boston based study found that certain genetic markers may increase a sensitivity to stress, thereby increasing cardiovascular risk factors.

VACCINE MAY LOWER CHOLESTEROL

Researchers are investigating a new way to help lower cholesterol levels.

Scientists found that a vaccine containing two different components created a response from the immune system that effectively lowered cholesterol levels.

The findings offer the potential development of another way to help people reduce cardiovascular risks by keeping cholesterol in a healthy range.


About the Authors
Kristi Krueger headshot

Kristi Krueger has built a solid reputation as an award-winning medical reporter and effervescent anchor. She joined Local 10 in August 1993. After many years co-anchoring the 6 p.m. and 11 p.m., Kristi now co-anchors the noon newscasts, giving her more time in the evening with her family.

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