Month: May 2011

A study drug that increased “good” cholesterol failed to protect people from heart attacks or strokes, government researchers say. The study included more than 3,400 people. Their LDL (“bad cholesterol”) was well controlled with statin drugs. But they had low HDL, sometimes called “good cholesterol.” Low HDL increased their risk of heart attack and stroke. Taking niacin can raise HDL. People in the study were randomly divided into two groups. One group took Niaspan, a high-dose form of niacin. The other group received placebo (fake) pills. Both groups kept taking a statin. Researchers tracked them for an average of 32 months. HDL rose more for the Niaspan group than for the placebo group. But they had a similar overall rate of heart attack, stroke and related problems. The stroke rate was actually higher in the Niaspan group. That difference might have been caused by chance.

A major study has found a much larger rate of high blood pressure in young adults than expected — nearly 1 in 5. The study included 14,000 men and women, ages 24 through 32. Researchers asked whether anyone had told them they had high blood pressure. About 11% said yes. Then their blood pressure was measured. Readings were high for 19%. High blood pressure is 140 over 90 millimeters of mercury or higher. The high blood pressure rate was much higher than found in another major health survey taken at the same time. That study found 9% had been told they had high blood pressure and 4% actually had it. Researchers checked possible reasons for the difference. However, they were unable to explain it. The journal Epidemiology published the study online May 25. USA Today wrote about it.

Cases of bacterial meningitis, a potentially fatal infection, have dropped by 31% over the last decade. A new study found that most of the drop was due to fewer cases of one type, pneumococcal meningitis. The drop was dramatic among children. There is a vaccine for this type of infection. Researchers said the drop in this type was probably due to vaccinations. The study also found that the death rate from meningitis stayed about the same. About 500 people die in the United States from meningitis each year. The study was published May 25 in the New England Journal of Medicine. Science News wrote about it May 25.

Having one type of abnormal heart rhythm more than doubles the risk of death in otherwise healthy women, new research finds. The research was based on records for more than 34,000 middle-aged women. They were part of a study that kept track of them for 15 years. In that time, more than 1,000 developed atrial fibrillation. This is a rapid, fluttering rhythm in the heart’s upper chambers. Blood doesn’t pump out normally. It pools inside the heart. This can form clots, which can cause a stroke. During the study, 63 of these women died. About 3 out of 4 had high blood pressure. Researchers adjusted their numbers to account for this problem and other things that could increase the risk of death. Even so, women with atrial fibrillation were twice as likely to die as other women. They were 4 times as likely to die of heart disease or stroke. The overall death rate was small, about 2%.