What Leonardo taught us about the heart

Da Vinci was the first anatomist known to correctly note the number and root structure of human teeth

He found that the heart had four chambers and it connected the pulse in the wrist with the contraction of the left ventricle.

He worked out that currents in the blood flow, created in the main aorta artery, help heart valves to close.

And he suggested that arteries create a health risk if they fur up over a lifetime.

Mr Wells also believes that Leonardo realised that the blood was in a circulation system and may have influenced William Harvey's discovery in 1616 that blood was pumped around the body by the heart.

Yet none of Leonardo's theories or drawing were ever published during his lifetime.

In fact, his notes were not rediscovered until the late 18th century - more than 250 years after his death.

Mr Wells explains: "It wasn't his job. Scientific stuff was his hobby."

Broken heart link in parent study

Bereaved parents are up to four times more likely to die in the decade after a child's death, it suggested Parents who lose a baby before its first birthday are more likely to die early themselves, according to a study.

Researchers at York and Stirling universities said bereaved parents were up to four times more likely to die in the decade following the child's death.

Previous studies have suggested there is a similar effect after the death of a spouse - often referred to as dying of a "broken heart".

The impact of losing a child has not been analysed to the same extent.

This research, published in BMJ Supportive and Palliative Care, is the first to look at the effect on UK parents.

Its authors have said their findings are of "major concern" and have called for more research.

Stillbirths

The study was not large enough to analyse how many of the deaths were due to suicide or other causes such as stress.

"The stress of bereavement may involve significant physiological effects - for example suppressing the immune system thereby increasing one's propensity to disease," the report said.

Another theory is that stillbirths and infant deaths may be more common in parents who have poor health.

Although the risk of premature death lessened over time, the researchers found that it was particularly pronounced in mothers, who continued to be 1.2 times more likely to die 30 years after the death of a baby.

Early diet 'shapes heart health'

What we eat as a child has long-term effects on our heart, say researchers Continue reading the main storyRelated StoriesWestern diet 'raises heart risk' Growing up starved of calories may give you a higher risk of heart disease 50 years on, research suggests.

Researchers in The Netherlands tracked the heart health of Dutch women who lived through the famine at the end of World War II.

Those living on rations of 400-800 calories a day had a 27% higher risk of heart disease in later life.

It's the first direct evidence early nutrition shapes future health, they report in the European Heart Journal.

The Dutch famine of 1944-45 gave researchers in Holland a unique opportunity to study the long-term effects of severe malnutrition in childhood and adolescence.

A combination of factors - including failed crops, a harsh winter and the war - caused thousands of deaths among people living in the west of The Netherlands.

The women, who were aged between 10 and 17 at the time, were followed up in 2007.

The team, from the University Medical Center Utrecht and the University of Amsterdam, found those who were severely affected by the famine had a 27% greater risk of developing heart disease than those who had had enough to eat.

Diet impact

Lead author Annet van Abeelen told the BBC: "The most important message is that it is good to realise that disturbing the development of children through acute malnutrition can have implications for later adult health.

"It's not only the short-term direct consequences that matter. Even 50 years later, there is still a higher risk of adult coronary heart disease."

Victoria Taylor, senior heart health dietitian for the British Heart Foundation, said: "This study showed a link between children and young adults experiencing famine and the likelihood of them developing heart disease later on in life.

"Although it wasn't clear exactly what changes occurred in the body to increase the risk, this highlights how our environment can have a long-term impact upon our heart health.

"Fortunately, the problems of famine seen in other countries have not been an issue in the UK in recent times. But that doesn't make this study irrelevant for us.

"It adds to the importance of providing a healthy diet for children and young people because of the way it can shape their future heart health."

Heart test 'saves babies' lives'

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The test that could spot heart defects in newborn babies

A study of 20,055 newborns, published in The Lancet, showed testing oxygen in the blood was more successful than other checks available.

The researchers have called for the oxygen test to be used in hospitals across the UK.

The British Heart Foundation said the test could "make a real difference" as cases go unnoticed.

Congenital heart defects - such as holes between chambers in the heart and valve defects - affect around one in every 145 babies.

They are detected by ultrasound during pregnancy or by listening to the heart after birth, however, the success rate is low.

Decades old

Doctors at six maternity hospitals in the UK used pulse oximeters - a piece of technology which has been around for 20 years - to detect levels of oxygen in the blood.

If the levels were too low, or varied between the hands and feet, more detailed examinations took place.

The test takes less than five minutes and it found 75% of the most serious abnormalities. In combination with traditional methods, 92% of cases were detected.

While some defects are inoperable, advances in surgery mean most can be corrected.

Diesel fumes 'raise heart risks'

Minuscule particles produced by burning diesel could can increase the chance of blood clots Chemical particles in diesel exhaust fumes could increase the risk of heart attacks, new research has suggested.

Edinburgh University scientists found minuscule particles produced by burning diesel can increase the chance of blood clots forming in arteries.

The blood clots can then lead to heart attacks or stroke.

The team measured the impact of diesel exhaust fumes on a group of healthy volunteers at levels found in heavily polluted cities.

The volunteers' reaction to gases found in diesel fumes, such as carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide, were compared with their reactions to tiny chemical particles found in the exhausts.

It was found that the particles, and not the gases, impaired the function of blood vessels.

Blood pressure

Dr Mark Miller, of Edinburgh University's centre for cardiovascular science, said: "While many people tend to think of the effects of air pollution in terms of damage to the lungs, there is strong evidence that it has an impact on the heart and blood vessels as well.

"Our research shows that while both gases and particles can affect our blood pressure, it is actually the minuscule chemical particles that are emitted by car exhausts that are really harmful.

Continue reading the main story“Start QuoteTheir findings suggest that lives could be saved by cutting these harmful nanoparticles out of exhausts”

End QuoteJeremy PearsonBritish Heart Foundation "These particles produce highly reactive molecules called free radicals that can injure our blood vessels and lead to vascular disease."

He added: "We are now investigating which of the chemicals carried by these particles cause these harmful actions, so that in the future we can try and remove these chemicals, and prevent the health effects of vehicle emissions."

The particles, which are thinner than a millionth of a metre, can be filtered out of exhaust emissions by fitting special traps to vehicles.

The researchers said environmental health measures designed to reduce emissions should now be tested to determine whether they reduce the rate of heart attacks.

Professor Jeremy Pearson, associate medical director at the British Heart Foundation, said: "We've known for a long time that air pollution is a major heart health issue, and that's why we're funding this team in Edinburgh to continue their vital research.

"Their findings suggest that lives could be saved by cutting these harmful nanoparticles out of exhausts, perhaps by taking them out of the fuel, or making manufacturers add gadgets to their vehicles that can trap particles before they escape.

"The best approach isn't clear yet.

"For now our advice remains the same, people with heart disease should avoid spending long periods outside in areas where traffic pollution is likely to be high, such as on or near busy roads."

The research, funded by the British Heart Foundation, has been published in the European Heart Journal.

Study calls for heart drugs at 55

The study says preventive treatments like cholesterol and blood pressure lowering drugs could be given to all people over 55 Continue reading the main storyRelated StoriesWaist fat 'increases heart risk'Tomato pill 'beats heart disease'Gum and heart link 'breakthrough' All those over 55 should be offered drugs to lower cholesterol and blood pressure, according to a new study.

The report says that when assessing the risk of heart problems, offering treatment to all over-55s had the same results as testing for cholesterol or blood pressure problems.

The authors also argue it would be more simpler and cost effective.

But the Department of Health says the focus of the study is too narrow and ignores other health problems.

Writing in the open access journal PLoS ONE the authors, from the Wolfson Institute at Barts and the London Medical School, said age was by far the biggest factor in assessing someone's risk of cardiovascular disease such as heart attack or stroke.

They compared the effects of two screening programmes on a theoretical population of 500,000 people.

The first approach used screening just by age, where, at the age of 55, people would be offered preventive treatment, regardless of whether they were at risk.

Continue reading the main story“Start QuoteThe policy of selecting people above a certain age is, in effect, selecting people at high risk. It recognises that age is by far the most important determinant of that risk with other factors adding little extra prognostic information”

End QuoteProfessor Sir Nicholas WaldDirector of the Wolfson Institute The second approach used existing screening methods, based on age and sex, and whether someone was a smoker or has high blood pressure or cholesterol.

They found that both approaches had an 84% detection rate, but that offering everyone preventive treatment at 55 would be more cost effective.

The two methods also had a broadly similar false-positive rate - in other words, using age alone would diagnose 24% of people as being at risk, when in fact they would not go on to develop heart problems.

Existing methods of screening identified 21% of false-positives.

If screening by age alone was introduced, the authors believe it could prevent as many as 100,000 heart attacks and strokes each year in England and Wales alone.

Professor Sir Nicholas Wald is the lead author of the report and Director of the Wolfson Institute.

He said: "This study shows that age screening for future cardiovascular disease is simpler than current assessments, with a similar screening performance and cost effectiveness. It also avoids the need for blood tests and medical examinations.

"With age screening, all individuals above a specified age would be offered preventive treatment. Everyone would benefit because, for blood pressure and cholesterol, the lower the better.

"The policy of selecting people above a certain age is, in effect, selecting people at high risk. It recognises that age is by far the most important determinant of that risk with other factors adding little extra prognostic information.

"Prevention is better than measurement. Identifying people at high risk of cardiovascular disease needs to be greatly simplified, enabling people to obtain easy access to preventive treatment from nurses and pharmacists as well as from doctors."

Heart transplant units cut call

The number of heart transplants being carried out is falling The number of adult heart transplant units in the UK should be cut because too few transplants are being performed, heart experts say.

Doctors at Newcastle's Freeman Hospital said it was time to rethink the need for six centres after a 46% fall in transplants in the last decade.

They said having bigger and better resourced units may be preferable, the British Medical Journal reported.

The government has already indicated it is looking to carry out a review.

It is unclear why the number of heart transplants has fallen as the number of potential donors is at a record high.

A decade ago, 159 transplants were carried out each year, but by 2009-10 that had fallen to 86, the researchers said.

Continue reading the main story“Start QuoteEncouraging more people to join the organ donor register, or even better, changing our organ donation system so people must 'opt out' if they don't want to donate would help increase the number of donor hearts available”

End QuoteProfessor Peter WeissbergBritish Heart FoundationRisks The analysis by four doctors, including two surgeons, suggested it could be down to a lack of intensive care beds or it could be because potential donors are found to have hearts which are unsuitable for transplant.

The fall in transplants has meant doctors are having to increasingly rely on the use of mechanical heart pumps instead.

But the experts said it was now important to review whether the right patients were being prioritised for transplants as well as looking whether the six units - in Birmingham, Glasgow, Newcastle, Manchester, Cambridge and London - were still viable.

One of the risks of having smaller centres is that surgeons do not do enough transplants to maintain their skills - although there are no suggestions care is suffering yet.

Professor Peter Weissberg, medical director at the British Heart Foundation, conceded fewer centres may be the solution.

But he added he would like to see more work to increase the number of suitable donors.

"Encouraging more people to join the organ donor register, or even better, changing our organ donation system so people must 'opt out' if they don't want to donate would help increase the number of donor hearts available."

NHS medical director Sir Bruce Keogh said an official review would be starting soon to ensure transplants were being "carried out in the most effective way".

He added: "The department is committed to strengthening the heart transplant programme, increasing the number of organ donors and hearts donated for transplant and giving more people the opportunity to benefit from a heart transplant."

Heart problem 'largely avoidable'

Taking regular exercise can improve your health outlook

If individuals were to maintain a healthy weight and normal blood pressure and abstain from tobacco 57% of cases of atrial fibrillation (AF) could be averted, the US experts say.

The study in Circulation journal is based on nearly 15,000 patients.

AF is a major cause of stroke.

Yet many people are unaware that they have this heart condition because often it causes very few symptoms.

Experts believe up to 500,000 people in the UK have AF.

The condition can be treated with medication to slow the irregular heartbeat and blood-thinning drugs to reduce stroke risk, but the latest research shows how much illness could be avoided by simple lifestyle measures.

Dr Alvaro Alonso, who led the research at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health, said: "We now know that a significant proportion of all cases of atrial fibrillation can be avoided.

"Ideally, if individuals were able to maintain a normal blood pressure and healthy body weight and didn't smoke, not only would it reduce their risks for other forms of cardiovascular disease, such as heart disease and stroke, but it also would significantly impact the risk of developing atrial fibrillation in later life."

Only 5% of the people in the study had a lifestyle that would be deemed healthy enough to cut their risk of AF.

Over a period of 17 years, 1,520 episodes of AF were noted among the participants, and 57% of these episodes were linked to clear risk factors such as high blood pressure, diabetes or smoking.

The findings suggest over 860 of the events might have been avoided by "clean living".

Dr Mike Knapton, associate medical director at the BHF, said: "This study shows not only can you identify people with AF and treat them to reduce their risk of stroke, AF can also be prevented in the first place with simple messages about lifestyle changes."

He said the difficulty was helping people to make healthy choices when their environment and society often encouraged unhealthy options.