Heart attack risk skyrockets after angry outburst
While anger is a normal emotion, a recent study found a nearly fivefold increase in risk for heart attack in the two hours following outbursts of anger.
“The hope is this might help patients think about how they manage anger in their everyday lives and prompt physicians to discuss medications and psychosocial supports with their patients for whom anger is an issue, especially patients with known cardiovascular risk factors,” said study lead author Elizabeth Mostofsky, ScD, MPH, of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and the Harvard School of Public Health.
The study, published online March 3 in the European Heart Journal, was based on a review of studies published between 1966 and 2013 in which patients who had experienced cardiovascular events answered questions about anger.
The study found risk of heart attack or such acute coronary symptoms as chest pain and shortness of breath was nearly five times higher in the two hours following an angry outburst. And the risk for stroke caused by a blocked artery in the brain was nearly four times higher in the time following an angry outburst. One study in the review found a more than sixfold increased risk for brain aneurysm in the hour following an outburst of anger.
“It’s important to bear in mind that while these results show a significantly higher risk of a cardiovascular event associated with an angry outburst, the overall risk for people without other risk factors like smoking or high blood pressure is relatively small,” said study author Murray Mittleman, MD, DrPH, also of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and the Harvard Medical School. “However, we should be concerned about the occurrence of angry outbursts with our higher risk patients and our patients who have frequent outbursts of anger.”
Anti-smoking campaign targets hipsters, with success
A social branding campaign aimed at “hipsters” showed some success at reducing smoking, according to a study in the April issue of APHA’s American Journal of Public Health.
The campaign, named Commune, specifically targeted the young adult bar scene in San Diego and, even more specifically, aimed at a peer crowd that preferred alternative music, live shows to DJs, small local bars and whose members valued self-expression, artistic endeavors and “nonmainstream physical appearance,” the authors said. It focused on the activities of tobacco companies as corporations, rather than on the behavior of individual smokers.
The intervention began by spending the first six months establishing Commune as an authentic part of the hipster community. Events were held only in smoke-free venues and local artists were hired to create artwork and posters and design clothing. Between February 2008 and December 2011, 43 monthly events were held with an estimated reach of more than 10,000 young people.
During the intervention, current smoking decreased from 57 percent to 48 percent and daily smoking decreased from 22 percent to 15 percent. Researchers also noticed a strong link between hipster affiliation and alcohol use and smoking. Among binge drinkers, the odds of both daily and non-daily smoking decreased significantly, researchers said.
Vitamin E does not prevent heart disease, cancer
Taking vitamin E or beta carotene will not help prevent cardiovascular disease or cancer, according to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.
In examining the potential benefits and harms of taking vitamin and mineral supplements to prevent heart disease and cancer, the task force also found that beta carotene supplements may increase the chance of developing lung cancer for people who are already at risk for the disease, such as people who smoke. In addition, the task force concluded that there is not enough evidence to determine whether taking a multivitamin or taking single or paired supplements will prevent cardiovascular disease or cancer.
According to the task force, about half of adults say they have used at least one dietary supplement and a third report having taken a multivitamin. More women than men and more older adults than younger adults use supplements.
To read the full recommendation, visit www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org.
Colon cancer rates decline
Thanks to screening efforts, colon cancer rates in the U.S. have dropped by 30 percent during the past 10 years among adults 50 years old and older.
The findings, which were published in the March-April issue of CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, found that the largest decrease was among people older than 65, with the decline accelerating from 3.6 percent during 2001–2008 to 7.2 percent from 2008–2010. The study noted that the larger declines among Medicare-eligible seniors are likely due to higher screening rates driven by universal insurance coverage. Colonoscopy use has nearly tripled among adults ages 50 years old to 75 years old, from 19 percent in 2000 to 55 percent in 2010, the study found.
The hopeful data was released during the recent launch of new effort to increase screening rates. Led by the National Colorectal Cancer Roundtable, dozens of groups gathered in Washington, D.C., in March to unveil a new push to increase the colorectal screening rate to 80 percent by 2018. Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in the U.S. among men and women combined.
For more information, visit http://nccrt.org.
US, UK release joint climate change report
A new publication lays out the evidence behind climate change and clearly explains how human behavior is causing the planetary phenomenon.
In February, the National Academy of Sciences and the Royal Society, the national science academy of the United Kingdom, jointly released “Climate Change: Evidence and Causes.” The publication includes explanations on a number of climate change-related issues, such as the association between rising carbon dioxide levels and the combustion of fossil fuels as well as how climate change affects the strength and frequency of extreme weather events.
“Our aim with the new resource is to provide people with easy access to the latest scientific evidence on climate change, including where scientists agree and where uncertainty still remains,” said Paul Nurse, PhD, president of the Royal Society. “We have enough evidence to warrant action being taken on climate change; it is now time for the public debate to move forward to discuss what we can do to limit the impact on our lives and those of future generations.”
The publication is intended, in part, to inform policy discussions on how to reduce the severity of climate change impacts and adapt to its effects.
To download the report, visit www.nap.edu.
- Copyright The Nation’s Health, American Public Health Association
