Tag: Heart Disease

Flu vaccination rate holds steady but misinformation about flu and Covid-19 persists
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Newswise — PHILADELPHIA – Although the public had been alerted that this winter could be a potentially bad flu season, barely half of Americans said in January that they had received a flu shot, a vaccination level unchanged in a representative national panel from the comparable period last year, according to a new Annenberg Science Knowledge (ASK) survey by the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania.

The panel survey, fielded with over 1,600 U.S. adults, finds that many have a base of knowledge about the flu but there is a reservoir of uncertainty about other consequential information about the flu, Covid-19, and vaccination. Among the findings of the ASK survey, which also inquired more broadly about attitudes toward vaccine mandates and the continuing “return to normal”:
- Nearly half of Americans (49%) do not know it is safe to get a flu shot during pregnancy.
- Over half of Americans (53%) say the Army should be able to require Covid-19 vaccination for soldiers who do not have a medical or religious exemption – and a plurality (45%) say public schools should be able to require Covid-19 vaccination of all children who do not have a medical or religious exemption.
- Only 10% of those who had heard of NFL player Damar Hamlin’s on-field collapse think that vaccination was connected to his cardiac arrest – but many more are not sure whether the rate of heart-related deaths has increased among young athletes over the past three years.
- More than half of Americans (52%) now say their lives have returned to a pre-pandemic normal, up significantly from 47% in October 2022.
“Although the CDC indicated that seasonal flu activity is now low nationally, the fact that the level of reported flu vaccination in our panel was roughly the same in January of this year as a year before is concerning,” said Kathleen Hall Jamieson, director of the Annenberg Public Policy Center. “Because this has been a more severe flu season than the one a year ago, we expected an increase in the reported vaccination rate.”

The nationally representative panel of 1,657 U.S. adults surveyed by SSRS for the Annenberg Public Policy Center (APPC) of the University of Pennsylvania from January 10-16, 2023, was the tenth wave of an Annenberg Science Knowledge survey whose respondents were first empaneled in April 2021. The margin of sampling error (MOE) is ± 3.2 percentage points at the 95% confidence level. See the Appendix and Methodology for question wording and additional information.

What the public knows: The flu and flu shot

The latest wave of the ASK survey finds that many people know the basics about the flu:
- Handwashing: 93% of respondents know that washing your hands helps you avoid getting sick from or spreading the seasonal flu.
- Getting the flu again: 83% know it’s possible to get the flu more than once in a flu season.
- Vaccine effectiveness: 77% know that the effectiveness of the seasonal flu shot in the United States can vary from year to year.
  
  However, 19% of respondents also think, incorrectly, that the effectiveness of the measles vaccine can vary from year to year and 40% are not sure.
  
  Nearly three-quarters of those surveyed (73%) think the seasonal flu shot is effective at reducing the risk of getting the flu this year.
- Mask-wearing: 77% know that wearing a high-quality, well-fitting mask helps limit the spread of flu.
- Contagion: 76% know it’s possible to spread the seasonal flu to others even if you have no symptoms.
  
  14% of our respondents say they have had the flu this season. Of this group, 8% had no symptoms; 29% had mild symptoms; 43% had moderate symptoms; and 19% had severe symptoms.
A majority of the public knows that the following claims are false:
- Flu vaccine and Covid-19: Three-quarters (77%) know it’s false to say that the seasonal flu shot increases your risk of getting Covid-19 – though 6% incorrectly think this is true and 17% are not sure whether it is true or false. (See APPC’s project FactCheck.org to learn more about the false claim linking the flu shot and Covid-19.)
- Better late than never: 71% know it’s false to say that if you haven’t gotten your flu shot by November, there’s no value in getting it – though 11% incorrectly think this is true and 18% are not sure. (The CDC recommends vaccination even after November because significant flu activity can continue into May.)
- Cold weather: Nearly two-thirds (65%) know it’s false to say that cold weather causes the flu – but a third either incorrectly think this is true (22%) or are not sure (13%).
- The flu can be treated: 64% of respondents know it’s false to say there is no treatment for the flu – but 23% incorrectly think this is true and 13% are not sure if it is true.
Areas of uncertainty

But there are important claims about the flu that substantial parts of the public are confused about:
- Pregnancy: Almost half (49%) do not know that it is safe to get a flu shot during pregnancy, including the 10% who think it is not safe and 39% who are unsure. Just 51% know it is safe.
- Get flu from the shot? 46% do not know you cannot get the flu from the flu shot, including 29% who think you can get the flu from the shot and 16% who are not sure.
- Antibiotics and the flu: 45% do not know that the flu cannot be treated with antibiotics, including 25% who think it can be treated with antibiotics and 20% who are unsure.
- Antibiotics and viruses: 40% do not know that antibiotics do not work on viruses such as those that cause colds, the flu, and Covid-19 – including 20% who think it is false to say antibiotics don’t work on viruses, and 20% who are unsure.
Attitudes toward flu vaccination
- Tamiflu: Nearly two-thirds of those surveyed (65%) disagree with the statement that there’s no need for a flu shot because they can always use Tamiflu to treat flu symptoms.
- Breakthrough infections: 58% disagree with the statement that breakthrough seasonal flu infections are evidence that flu shots don’t work – though 15% agree and 26% neither agree nor disagree.
- Danger to children: 57% disagree with the statement that children do not need the seasonal flu shot because they are at a low risk of death from the flu – though 18% agree and 25% neither agree nor disagree.
- Flu shots for all: Just 41% agree that every person older than six months should get a flu shot every year – 33% disagree and 26% neither agree nor disagree. The CDC recommends a flu shot every season for nearly everyone six months and older.
How many have had a flu shot and why

The ASK survey in January 2023 finds that 49% of respondents say they have had a seasonal flu shot, statistically unchanged from 47% in our January 2022 survey and 50% in April 2021. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly 46% of U.S. adults 18 and older had a flu shot as of December 31, 2022.

The CDC actively promoted flu vaccination amid concerns that the 2022-23 season would be severe.

When the 49% of survey respondents who said they got the flu vaccine were asked in January why they got the shot (multiple responses were permitted):
- 69% said I get it every year (down from 78% in January 2022)
- 64% said to protect myself against catching the flu (up from 44% in January 2022)
- 8% said to protect myself against Covid-19 (unchanged from 9% in January 2022)
- 25% said because it is recommended by the CDC (this response was not previously offered)
Concerns: The flu, Covid-19, RSV, polio, myocarditis

Worries about family members contracting flu, Covid, or RSV: About a third of those surveyed say they are somewhat or very worried about family members contracting Covid-19 (36%), the seasonal flu (35%), or RSV, respiratory syncytial virus (33%). Only 11% say they are somewhat/very worried about a family member contracting polio, which reemerged as a public health threat in July 2022 after a case was reported in New York State. (FactCheck.org has more about poliovirus being found in New York City sewage.)

Myocarditis: Rare cases of myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscle, have been reported among those who have had mRNA Covid-19 vaccines, particularly young males following a second vaccine dose. (FactCheck.org has more on the Covid-19 vaccine and myocarditis.) The connection between myocarditis and the vaccine has drawn attention on social media and in news media.

The survey found that over a third of respondents (37%) think that Covid-19 poses a higher risk for myocarditis than the vaccine against Covid-19. But 17% think that is false and nearly half of those surveyed (47%) are not sure which poses a higher risk.

Damar Hamlin and young athletes dying of heart problems

Much of the public rejects the notion that Damar Hamlin’s collapse during an NFL game had anything to do with the vaccine against Covid-19. But the survey finds that many people are uncertain about the broader unsupported claim that more young athletes are dying of heart problems these days.

Hamlin, a safety on the Buffalo Bills, suffered a cardiac arrest during the Jan. 2, 2023, game against the Cincinnati Bengals, triggering a spate of unfounded, anti-vaccine conspiracy theories on social media about the cause. The overwhelming majority of those in our survey (87%) said they had heard, read, or seen reports of his collapse.

But those respondents overwhelmingly reject the idea that a Covid-19 vaccine caused Hamlin’s injury. Only 10% of those who had heard of the incident attribute it to factors connected with the vaccine. Nearly half (49%) say that based on what they had heard of it, Hamlin’s cardiac arrest was most likely caused by being hit hard in the chest; 17% say an underlying heart condition; and 21% say they are not sure. (FactCheck.org writes about what was known about Hamlin’s injury.)

While social media posts with millions of views quickly associated Hamlin’s collapse with vaccination, mainstream media sources noted the lack of evidence for such claims or dismissed them as misinformation. See, for example, stories such as The inevitable, grotesque effort to blame vaccines for Damar Hamlin’s collapse (Washington Post, Jan. 3) and Hamlin’s collapse spurs new wave of vaccine misinformation (Associated Press, Jan. 5).

However, 26% of those surveyed say they think that the number of young athletes dying of heart problems increased over the past three years, and nearly half (49%) are not sure whether the number has increased or decreased. Only 23% say that the numbers of deaths have remained virtually unchanged. (See FactCheck.org’s article No Surge in Athlete Deaths, Contrary to Widespread Anti-Vaccine Claims on why this claim is unfounded.)

Covid-19 and MMR vaccine mandates

Schools and military: The ASK survey finds stronger support for a Covid-19 vaccine mandate in the military than in public schools, with over half supporting a military mandate:
- 53% of those surveyed strongly or somewhat agree that the U.S. Army should be able to require Covid-19 vaccination of all soldiers who do not have a medical or religious exemption and 30% strongly or somewhat disagree (asked of a survey half-sample).
- 45% strongly or somewhat agree that public schools should be able to require Covid-19 vaccination of all children who do not have a medical or religious exemption and 38% strongly or somewhat disagree (asked of a half-sample).
MMR vaccine: Asked their views on the childhood vaccines for measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR), 63% agree that healthy children should be required to get the MMR vaccine in order to attend public schools, while 22% say parents should be able to decide whether to vaccinate their children who attend public schools and 15% are not sure.

Getting back to ‘normal’

The return to normal: Asked when they expect to be able to return to “your normal, pre-Covid-19 life,” more than half of Americans (52%) say they already have – up from 47% in October 2022. More than 1 in 5 Americans (22%) continue to say “never,” which is statistically unchanged since July 2022.

Mask-wearing: Six in 10 people (61%) say they never or rarely wear masks, statistically unchanged from the 60% who said this in October 2022. And 18% say they always or often wear a mask, also statistically unchanged from the 17% who said so in October.

See the Appendix for question wording and data and the Methodology for additional information. Read about prior Annenberg Science Knowledge surveys.

The Annenberg Public Policy Center was established in 1993 to educate the public and policy makers about communication’s role in advancing public understanding of political, science, and health issues at the local, state, and federal levels. APPC is the home of FactCheck.org and its SciCheck program, whose Covid-19/Vaccination Project seeks to debunk misinformation about Covid-19 and vaccines, and increase exposure to accurate information.
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February 17, 2023
Top 15 Sources of Sodium Updated in Bid to Reduce Intake

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Newswise — Washington D.C. – Identifying the top sources of sodium in the American diet can inform policies and programs aimed at reducing sodium intake, a key risk factor for hypertension and cardiovascular disease. Nearly 90 percent of Americans consume sodium in excess of dietary guidance, much of it from prepackaged foods.

A new study on the subject by researchers at the University of Toronto and supported by IAFNS appears in the peer-reviewed journal Nutrients. The scientists studied over 7,000 research subjects using the 2017-2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey which consists of information on the health and nutritional status, including dietary recall information on foods consumed, of a nationally representative sample of adults and children in the United States.

Efforts to curtail population sodium intake through consumer education and food labelling campaigns have had minimal impact. This suggested a need to have a more recent assessment of food contributors to sodium intake.

According to the researchers, the top 15 food categories accounted for 50.83% of total dietary sodium intake: pizza (5.3%); breads, rolls and buns (4.7%); cold cuts and cured meats (4.6%); soups (4.4%); burritos and tacos (4.3%); savoury snacks (4.1%); poultry (4.0%); cheese (3.1%); pasta mixed dishes (2.9%); burgers (2.5%); meat mixed dishes (2.5%); cookies, brownies and cakes (2.4%); bacon, frankfurters, sausages (2.4%); vegetables (2.2%); and chicken nuggets (1.5%).

According to the authors, “This study found that the top 15 food category contributors to dietary sodium represent just over 50 percent of total dietary sodium intake for American adults, with pizza, breads, cold cuts, soups and burritos being the top five contributors. Our findings were consistent across the population subgroups.”

The research contributes key data on the food categories that could be reformulated to reduce sodium content to have the greatest impact on North Americans’ diets. The World Health Organization and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend that limiting population-level sodium intake can reduce hypertension, an important preventative strategy to lower the risk of cardiovascular diseases — among the leading causes of death in North America. The study provides an updated understanding of the top sources of sodium intake in the American population overall.

According to the authors, “The present research contributes important information pertaining to the food categories that would be amenable to reformulation and have significant impact on Americans’ diets.”

Lead author Mavra Ahmed says, “This data is important in light of the FDA Voluntary Sodium Reduction Goals which bring renewed focus on the importance of limiting sodium in the food supply and can help focus future efforts.”

The study can be found by clicking here.

This research was supported by a competitive grant from the Institute for the Advancement of Food and Nutrition Sciences (IAFNS) Sodium in Foods and Health Implications Committee. IAFNS is a 501(c)(3) science-focused nonprofit uniquely positioned to mobilize industry, government and academia to drive, fund and lead actionable research. IAFNS has over forty scientific projects and programs all focused on delivering science that matters. Learn more at iafns.org.

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Institute for the Advancement of Food and Nutrition Sciences

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February 13, 2023
Coconut Sugar May Lower Blood Pressure, Artery Stiffness in Older Adults

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Newswise — Rockville, Md. (February 10, 2023)—A first-of-its-kind study finds a natural coconut sugar may help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease by improving blood vessel health and managing high blood pressure. The study is published ahead of print in the Journal of Applied Physiology.

Higher blood pressure and arterial stiffness with older age are two risk factors contributing to cardiovascular disease. In a new study, researchers explored the effect of a natural sweetener on blood pressure and arterial stiffness in middle-aged and older adults.

Coconut sap powder, which is a natural sweetener derived from coconut sugar traditionally used in Asian cuisine, is rich in vitamins B and C, as well as iron, calcium and potassium. Coconut sap powder also contains flavonoids and nitrates—compounds known to contribute to blood vessel health—and inulin, a prebiotic soluble fiber that helps regulate blood sugar levels.

Previous research suggests coconut sap powder increases antioxidant biomarkers in young adults. In the current study, a group of volunteers with an average age of 55 took either a coconut sap powder supplement or a placebo every day for eight weeks. Before and after the trial, the research team measured the volunteers’ resting heart rate, cholesterol levels, markers of inflammation, blood pressure and arterial stiffness.

The group of volunteers who took the coconut sap powder supplement had lower systolic blood pressure when measured in the arm, but not when measured in the carotid artery. However, stiffness of the common carotid artery was reduced. However, blood markers of inflammation and oxidative stress did not change with the consumption of coconut sap powder.

“The [coconut sap powder]-lowering effects on [blood pressure] and arterial stiffness provide insight for [coconut sap powder] as a novel nutraceutical to potentially treat age-related cardiovascular dysfunction and disease,” the researchers wrote.

Read the full article, “Coconut sugar derived from coconut inflorescence sap lowers systolic blood pressure and arterial stiffness in middle-aged and older adults: a pilot study,” published ahead of print in the Journal of Applied Physiology.

NOTE TO JOURNALISTS: To schedule an interview with a member of the research team, please contact APS Media Relations or call 301.634.7314. Find more research highlights in our Newsroom.

Physiology is a broad area of scientific inquiry that focuses on how molecules, cells, tissues and organs function in health and disease. The American Physiological Society connects a global, multidisciplinary community of more than 10,000 biomedical scientists and educators as part of its mission to advance scientific discovery, understand life and improve health. The Society drives collaboration and spotlights scientific discoveries through its 16 scholarly journals and programming that support researchers and educators in their work.

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February 10, 2023
Celebs tout ice baths, but science on benefits is lukewarm

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The coolest thing on social media these days may be celebrities and regular folks plunging into frigid water or taking ice baths.

The touted benefits include improved mood, more energy, weight loss and reduced inflammation, but the science supporting some of those claims is lukewarm.

Kim Kardashian posted her foray on Instagram. Harry Styles has tweeted about his dips. Kristen Bell says her plunges are “brutal” but mentally uplifting. And Lizzo claims ice plunges reduce inflammation and make her body feel better.

Here’s what medical evidence, experts and fans say about the practice, which dates back centuries.

THE MIND

You might call Dan O’Conor an amateur authority on cold water immersion. Since June 2020, the 55-year-old Chicago man has plunged into Lake Michigan almost daily, including on frigid winter mornings when he has to shovel through the ice.

“The endorphin rush … is an incredible way to wake up and just kind of shock the body and get the engine going,” O’Conor said on a recent morning when the air temperature was a frosty 23 degrees (minus-5 Celsius). Endorphins are “feel good” hormones released in response to pain, stress, exercise and other activities.

With the lake temperature 34 degrees (1 Celsius), the bare-chested O’Conor did a running jump from the snow-covered shore to launch a forward flip into the icy gray water.

His first plunge came early in the pandemic, when he went on a bourbon bender and his annoyed wife told him to “go jump in the lake.” The water felt good that June day. The world was in a coronavirus funk, O’Conor says, and that made him want to continue. As the water grew colder with the seasons, the psychological effect was even greater, he said.

“My mental health is a lot stronger, a lot brighter. I found some Zen down here coming down and jumping into the lake and shocking that body,” O’Conor said.

Dr. Will Cronenwett, chief of psychiatry at Northwestern University’s Feinberg medical school, tried cold-water immersion once, years ago while visiting Scandinavian friends on a Baltic island. After a sauna, he jumped into the ice-cold water for a few minutes and had what he called an intense and invigorating experience.

“It felt like I was being stabbed with hundreds of millions of really small electrical needles,” he said. “I felt like I was strong and powerful and could do anything.”

But Cronenwett says studying cold water immersion with a gold-standard randomized controlled trial is challenging because devising a placebo for cold plunges could be difficult.

There are a few theories on how it affects the psyche.

Cronenwett says cold water immersion stimulates the part of the nervous system that controls the resting or relaxation state. That may enhance feelings of well-being.

It also stimulates the part of the nervous system that regulates fight-or-flight stress response. Doing it on a regular basis may dampen that response, which could in turn help people feel better able to handle other stresses in their lives, although that is not proven, he said.

“You have to conquer your own trepidation. You have to muster the courage to do it,” he said. “And when you finally do it, you feel like you’ve accomplished something meaningful. You’ve achieved a goal.”

Czech researchers found that cold water plunging can increase blood concentrations of dopamine — another so-called happy hormone made in the brain — by 250%. High amounts have been linked with paranoia and aggression, noted physiologist James Mercer, a professor emeritus at the Arctic University of Norway who co-authored a recent scientific review of cold water immersion studies.

THE HEART

Cold water immersion raises blood pressure and increases stress on the heart. Studies have shown this is safe for healthy people and the effects are only temporary.

But it can be dangerous for people with heart trouble, sometimes leading to life-threatening irregular heartbeats, Cronenwett said. People with heart conditions or a family history of early heart disease should consult a physician before plunging, he said.

METABOLISM

Repeated cold-water immersions during winter months have been shown to improve how the body responds to insulin, a hormone that controls blood sugar levels, Mercer noted. This might help reduce risks for diabetes or keep the disease under better control in people already affected, although more studies are needed to prove that.

Cold water immersion also activates brown fat — tissue that helps keep the body warm and helps it control blood sugar and insulin levels. It also helps the body burn calories, which has prompted research into whether cold water immersion is an effective way to lose weight. The evidence so far is inconclusive.

IMMUNE SYSTEM

Anecdotal research suggests that people who routinely swim in chilly water get fewer colds, and there’s evidence that it can increase levels of certain white blood cells and other infection-fighting substances. Whether an occasional dunk in ice water can produce the same effect is unclear.

Among the biggest unanswered questions: How cold does water have to be to achieve any health benefits? And will a quick dunk have the same effect as a long swim?

“There is no answer to ‘the colder the better,’” Mercer said. “Also, it depends on the type of response you are looking at. For example, some occur very quickly, like changes in blood pressure. … Others, such as the formation of brown fat, take much longer.”

O’Conor plunges year-round, but he says winter dunks are the best for “mental clarity,” even if they sometimes last only 30 seconds.

On those icy mornings, he is “blocking everything else out and knowing that I got to get in the water, and then more importantly, get out of the water.”

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Follow AP Medical Writer Lindsey Tanner at @LindseyTanner.

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The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

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February 9, 2023
Review calls for a refreshed look at clinical approach to heart muscle disorder

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Newswise — The heart’s main pumping chamber – the lower left ventricle – contains pieces of muscle called trabeculations that extend into it. Excessive trabeculation, often referred to as non-compacted myocardium, has been described at all ages, from fetus to adult.

Numerous prior studies have reported excessive trabeculation in healthy individuals, possibly due to the influence of changes in circulatory load such as pregnancy or exercise, in co-existence with well-known heart muscle diseases such as dilated cardiomyopathy or hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, or in relation to a rare entity of so-called non-compaction cardiomyopathy.

The review article and expert consensus paper is published in top cardiac imaging journal, JACC Cardiovascular Imaging, and is led by global experts in heart muscle diseases and cardiovascular imaging, from Queen Mary University of London’s William Harvey Research Institute and the NIHR Barts Biomedical Research Centre.

Amongst its highlights, “Excessive Trabeculation of the Left Ventricle – JACC: Cardiovascular Imaging Expert Panel Paper” advises that since trabeculated heart muscle does not coalesce to form the compact myocardial wall, the term ‘left ventricular non-compaction’, which is prevalent in contemporary medical literature, is inaccurate and so its use should be discouraged.

The lead author Steffen E. Petersen, Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine at Queen Mary and Honorary Consultant Cardiologist at Barts Health NHS Trust, says:

“We envisage the scientific community will move away from the term ‘LV non-compaction’, which is misleading, to use ‘excessive trabeculation’ which can be observed across a wide spectrum of health and disease states.

“The recommendation from this work has a substantial clinical impact as it can reduce harm to patients and people often wrongly labelled to have a specific disease. We also hope that this review article and expert consensus will lead to further research to better characterise the genetic basis and physiological impact of excessive trabeculation in otherwise normal individuals.”

Co-author Dr Nay Aung, National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Academic Clinical Lecturer at Queen Mary and Cardiologist, adds:

“Based on the available evidence, this expert consensus provides pragmatic recommendations on the clinical management of adults with incidental excessive trabeculation and those diagnosed with hypertrophic or dilated cardiomyopathy along with excessive trabeculation. Evidence is relatively sparse in children with excessive trabeculation, so this population may follow a different clinical trajectory – hence the need for further research.”

The experts summarised the evidence and uncertainties about the features of excessive trabeculation and its potential associations with cardiomyopathies – diseases of the heart muscle that result in it being harder to pump blood around the body.

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February 8, 2023
What I’ve Learned From My Heart Failure Patients

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Treating Heart Failure: What I’ve Learned From My Patients

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February 8, 2023
Cardiovascular Specialist Needed for Your Cancer Treatment?

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Newswise — As cancer treatments have evolved over the years, cancer survival has improved, but the new forms of chemotherapy and radiation therapy can cause lasting damage to the heart.

Accomplished physician and pioneer in cardio-oncology research and education, L. Steven Zukerman, M.D., FACC, medical director of the Cardio-Oncology Program at Hackensack Meridian Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune, NJ, is addressing this concern.

The program is designed to minimize the impact of cancer treatments on patients’ hearts and provide continuing cardiac care to cancer survivors and provides patients access to experts in cardiology and oncology and advanced imaging services. “Our multidisciplinary program provides patients with seamless and expert care as we monitor and protect their hearts before, during, and after cancer treatment,” says Dr. Zukerman.

A range of patients can be treated and monitored through the cardio-oncology program. They include patients who will begin chemotherapy or radiation therapy and have risk factors for heart disease or are being treated for heart disease. Patients who are experiencing cardiac symptoms or complications during cancer therapy are also candidates for the program, this includes high-blood pressure, congestive heart failure, and heart arrhythmias. Screening for radiation-induced coronary artery disease, valvular heart disease, and pericardial disease is also provided.

Cancer patients currently receiving treatment receive regular heart function assessments. Patients who are cancer survivors, including those who received cancer treatment as children, are monitored for heart disease risk and if needed, receive continuing medical care to maintain heart function.

Dr. Zukerman is board-certified in internal medicine and cardiovascular disease and completed his internal medicine internship at McGaw Medical Center of Northwestern University. He completed his internal medicine residency, cardiology fellowship, and his clinical cardiac electrophysiology training at the Medical College of Pennsylvania.

The program, located in the cancer center on the academic medical center’s campus in the HOPE Tower, was funded in part through a gift of $500,000 from one of Dr. Zukerman’s grateful patients, given to at the time, the Jersey Shore University Medical Center Foundation.

Interviews are available with Dr. Zukerman. He can provide information about how cancer treatment impacts the heart, the importance of cardiac care before, during and after cancer treatment as well as the modalities of this care and heart monitoring. Especially relevant during February, National Heart Month.

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February 2, 2023
Pregnancy Complications Could Mean Lifelong Heart Risks for Women

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By Cara Murez

HealthDay Reporter

THURSDAY, Feb. 2, 2023 (HealthDay News) — Major pregnancy complications, such as preeclampsia and preterm birth, should be recognized as lifelong risk factors for women’s heart disease, new research suggests.

Women who experience any of the five major pregnancy complications have an increased risk of ischemic heart disease up to 46 years after delivery, says the study published Feb. 1 in the BMJ.

The five complications are: preterm delivery (less than 37 weeks gestation), small baby for gestational age at birth, preeclampsia (a blood pressure disorder), other blood pressure disorders of pregnancy, and gestational diabetes.

“Women with adverse pregnancy outcomes should be considered for early preventive evaluation and long-term risk reduction to help prevent the development of ischemic heart disease,” the study authors said in a journal news release. Dr. Casey Crump, from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City, led the research team.

Nearly one-third of women experience an adverse pregnancy outcome, the authors said in background notes. Heart disease is the leading cause of death among women worldwide.

For the study, U.S. and Swedish researchers identified more than 2.1 million women in Sweden with no history of heart disease. Each had given birth to a single live infant between 1973 and 2015 at an average age of 27.

Using medical records, the researchers tracked cases of heart disease from delivery date through 2018. This was an average follow-up time of 25 years.

They considered the mothers’ age, number of children, education, income, body mass index, smoking and history of high blood pressure, diabetes or high cholesterol.

Heart disease was diagnosed in more than 83,000 — or almost 4% — of women at an average age of 58.

The researchers found that in the 10 years after delivery, relative rates of heart disease rose 1.7-fold in those with a history of preterm delivery and 1.5-fold in women with preeclampsia. Moreover, they rose twofold in women with other high blood pressure disorders of pregnancy. In addition, risk of heart disease rose 1.3-fold in those with gestational diabetes and 1.1-fold in those who delivered a small-for-gestational-age infant.

Women who had experienced several adverse pregnancy outcomes showed further increases in risk.

These risks remained significantly elevated 30 to 46 years after delivery. They were only partially explained by shared genetic or environmental factors within families, the researchers noted.

The study can’t prove a direct cause and effect relationship, however.

More information

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more on women and heart disease.

SOURCE: BMJ, news release, Feb. 1, 2023

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February 2, 2023
Gum infection linked to increased risk of heart arrhythmia

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Newswise — Periodontitis, a gum disease, can cause various dental problems such as bad breath, bleeding gums, and tooth loss. Additionally, research suggests it may also be linked to more serious health issues, such as those related to the heart.

Team found a significant correlation between periodontitis and fibrosis scarring to an appendage of the heart’s left atrium that can lead to an irregular heartbeat called atrial fibrillation in a sample of 76 patients with cardiac disease.

“Periodontitis is associated with a long-standing inflammation, and inflammation plays a key role in atrial fibrosis progression and atrial fibrillation pathogenesis. Researcher hypothesized that periodontitis exacerbates atrial fibrosis. This histological study of left atrial appendages aimed to clarify the relationship between clinical periodontitis status and degree of atrial fibrosis.

The left atrial appendages were surgically removed from the patients, and the researchers analyzed the tissue to establish the correlation between severity of the atrial fibrosis and severity of the gum disease. They found that the worse the periodontitis, the worse the fibrosis, suggesting that the inflammation of gums may intensify inflammation and disease in the heart.

Study provides basic evidence that periodontitis can aggravate atrial fibrosis and can be a novel modifiable risk factor for atrial fibrillation. According to researcher,for improving other risk factors such as weight, activity levels, tobacco and alcohol use, periodontal care could aid in comprehensive atrial fibrillation management. However, she cautioned that this study did not establish a causal relationship, meaning that while gum disease and atrial fibrosis degrees of severity appear connected, researchers have not found that one definitively leads to the other.

While research suggests a connection between periodontitis and atrial fibrosis, further evidence is needed to establish a causal relationship and to determine if periodontal care can reduce fibrosis. The goal of the study is to confirm that periodontitis is a modifiable risk factor for atrial fibrillation and to encourage dental specialists to play a role in comprehensive atrial fibrillation management. Periodontitis is an easily modifiable risk factor with lower cost compared to other known atrial fibrillation risk factors, thus the results of this study could have a significant impact on the health of people worldwide.

Next, the researchers said they hope to conduct future clinical trials to clarify if periodontal intervention reduces atrial fibrillation occurrence and improves patient outcomes.

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January 27, 2023
Attorneys for Keenan Anderson’s estate file $50 million claim of damages against city of Los Angeles | CNN

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CNN
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Attorneys representing the estate of Keenan Anderson, who died from cardiac arrest after he was repeatedly tased by Los Angeles Police Department officers, filed a $50 million claim of damages against the city of Los Angeles for his death, they announced in a news conference Friday.

The claim is the first step needed to file a lawsuit against the city, attorney Carl Douglas said.

The claim requests $35 million due to damages against Anderson’s son and $15 million for Anderson’s estate, saying the city “failed to properly train the involved officers” who ultimately used “unreasonable deadly force.”

Anderson, who is the cousin of Black Lives Matter co-founder Patrisse Cullors, was tased repeatedly as officers struggled to arrest him at the scene of a traffic collision on January 3, edited body-worn camera footage released by police shows.

The English teacher from Washington, DC was in Los Angeles visiting family.

The Los Angeles city attorney’s office told CNN it has no comment on the lawsuit, and the Los Angeles Police Department said it does not comment on pending litigation. CNN also has reached out to the Los Angeles mayor’s office.

The city has 45 days to either accept or deny the claim, Douglas said, and if it denies the claim the estate’s legal team will move forward with a state lawsuit. The lawsuit would claim wrongful death and negligence, among other claims, the filing says.

The edited video from body-worn cameras shows Anderson at first talking with one officer, and when the video resumes, he jogs into the street as the officer pursues him and orders him to lay down on his stomach.

Anderson does not appear to comply immediately, and two other officers arrive and move him to lie prone on his stomach on the street, telling Anderson to “relax.” As officers struggle on top of him, Anderson can be heard screaming, “Help, they’re trying to kill me” and “Please, don’t do this.”

Then, an officer deploys a taser multiple times on Anderson, who says, “I’m not resisting.”

Later in the video, the Los Angeles Fire Department places Anderson, who appears conscious, onto a gurney near an ambulance. Police said in a news release that Anderson was given medical care at the scene before being transported to a local hospital.

“While at the hospital, Anderson went into cardiac arrest and was pronounced deceased,” the release says.

A preliminary toxicology-blood screen of Anderson’s blood samples tested positive for cocaine and marijuana, police said, adding the Los Angeles County coroner’s office was expected to conduct its own independent toxicology tests.

“Having to hear Keenan cry out for help the way he did and to watch him be hurt by the very people who are supposed to protect him is something I will never get over,” Gabrielle Hansell, the administrator of Anderson’s estate and the mother of Anderson’s 5-year-old son, said at the news conference announcing the legal action on Friday.

Since Anderson was “an African American man,” the claimants in this case “believe that because of implicit bias, each of the unknown involved police officers assumed Mr. Anderson presented a serious threat to someone’s safety, and then assaulted, battered and tased him at least six times in response,” the claim says.

“Mr. Anderson had not posed any objectively reasonable threat to anyone, but was grabbed, compressed against the hardened surface, and repeatedly tased on account of his African American race,” the claim adds.

“We will make sure that Keenan Anderson’s name will not go away in vain,” Douglas said during the news conference.

The legal team is also planning to request that the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division investigate the case, attorney Benjamin Crump said.

Anderson’s death is the third officer-involved death in Los Angeles this year.

Detectives from the police department’s Force Investigation Division responded to the scene where Anderson was taken into custody and are investigating the use of force, police said.

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January 21, 2023
Investigators capture a “molecular snapshot” to illuminate the origins of pulmonary arterial hypertension

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Newswise — Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a rare and incurable disease of the lung arteries that causes early death. In PAH, excess scar tissue and thickening of lung blood vessels occur as the result of increased cell “biomass.” These changes obstruct blood flow and are detrimental to the heart, but until now the basic features of biomass in PAH were not known. A team led by investigators at Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH), a founding member of the Mass General Brigham healthcare system, in collaboration with Matthew Steinhauser, MD, a metabolism and cell imaging expert at the University of Pittsburg, and investigators at the University of Vienna, set out to better understand the origins of arterial biomass in PAH. Using an animal model of PAH, the team applied network medicine and advanced molecular imaging tools to identify chemical building blocks that are taken up by arterial cells and ultimately contribute to blood vessel obstruction. Using multi-isotope imaging mass spectrometry (MIMS) under the guidance of Steinhauser and Christelle Guillermier, PhD, at BWH, the researchers could pinpoint the location and abundance of key contributors to biomass, including the amino acid proline and the sugar molecule glucose. Using MIMS, the team visualized proline and glucose tracers injected into the bloodstream of an animal model of PAH. They saw that the molecules were used by arterial cells of the lung to build excess scar tissue (including the protein collagen), which contributed to blood vessel obstruction.

“Our study describes the world’s first use of multi-isotope imaging mass spectrometry (MIMS) in the study of lung disease,” said Bradley Wertheim, MD, of the Brigham’s Division of Pulmonary and Critical Medicine. “MIMS is a powerful microscopy tool that produces a ‘molecular snapshot’ that can provide information down to the resolution of a single cell.”

“These findings suggest that the uptake and metabolism of protein precursors may be fundamental to PAH biology. Closer investigation of proline and glucose in human PAH may uncover opportunities to inhibit biomass formation, prevent obstruction of lung arteries, and decrease the chance of heart failure for PAH patients,” said co-senior author Bradley Maron, MD, of the Brigham’s Division of Cardiovascular Medicine.

Read more in JCI Insight.

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January 20, 2023
Female and male hearts respond differently to stress hormone

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Newswise — (SACRAMENTO, Calif.) A new study published today (Jan. 20) in Science Advances shows female and male hearts respond differently to the stress hormone noradrenaline. The study in mice may have implications for human heart disorders like arrhythmias and heart failure and how different sexes respond to medications.

The team built a new type of fluorescence imaging system that allows them to use light to see how a mouse heart responds to hormones and neurotransmitters in real time. The mice were exposed to noradrenaline, also known as norepinephrine. Noradrenaline is both a neurotransmitter and hormone associated with the body’s “fight or flight” response.

The results reveal that male and female mouse hearts respond uniformly at first after exposure to noradrenaline. However, some areas of the female heart return to normal more quickly than the male heart, which produces differences in the heart’s electrical activity.

“The differences in electrical activity that we observed are called repolarization in the female hearts. Repolarization refers to how the heart resets between each heartbeat and is closely linked to some types of arrhythmias,” said Jessica L. Caldwell, first author of the study. Caldwell is a postdoctoral scholar in the UC Davis School of Medicine Department of Pharmacology. “We know that there are sex differences in the risk for certain types of arrhythmias. The study reveals a new factor that may contribute to different arrhythmia susceptibility between men and women,” Caldwell said.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States. It accounted for about 1 in every 4 male deaths and 1 in every 5 female deaths in 2020. Despite the impact on both sexes, cardiology research has largely been performed on male subjects.

In this study, the researchers were interested in looking at factors that may contribute to arrhythmias. Arrhythmias are a type of heart disorder where the electrical impulses that control heartbeats don’t function properly. They affect somewhere between 1.5% to 5% of the population.

Methods

The novel imaging system uses a mouse, called the CAMPER mouse, that has been genetically modified to emit light during a very specific chemical reaction in the heart — cAMP binding.

The cAMP molecule (an abbreviation of cyclic adenosine 3’,5;-monophosphate) is an intermediate messenger that turns signals from hormones and neurotransmitters, including noradrenaline, into action from heart cells.

The light signals from the CAMPER mouse are transmitted by a biosensor that uses fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET). This FRET signal can be picked up at high speed and high resolution by a new imaging system specially designed for hearts. This allows the researchers to record the heart’s reaction to noradrenaline in real time, along with changes in electrical activity.

This new imaging approach revealed the differences in the breakdown of cAMP in female and male mice and the associated differences in electrical activity.

Including female mice leads to discoveries

The researchers had not planned to study sex-based responses, according to Crystal M. Ripplinger, senior author of the study. But the researchers started seeing a pattern of different reactions, which led them to realize the differences were sex-based.

Ripplinger, an electrical and biomedical engineer, is a professor in the Department of Pharmacology.

When she started her lab at the UC Davis School of Medicine over a decade ago, she exclusively used male animals. That was the norm for most research at the time. But several years ago, she began including male and female animals in her studies.

“Sometimes the data between the two sexes is the same. But if the data start to show variation, the first thing we do is look at sex differences. Using both male and female mice has revealed clues into differences we would never have suspected. Researchers are realizing you can’t extrapolate to both sexes from only studying one,” Ripplinger said.

She notes that with the current study, it’s not clear what the differences in cAMP and electrical activity may mean.

“The response in the female mice may be protective — or it may not. But simply documenting that there is a measurable difference in the response to a stress hormone is significant. We are hoping to learn more in future studies,” Ripplinger said.

Additional authors on the study include I-Ju (Eric) Lee, Lena Ngo, Lianguo Wang, Donald M. Bers, Manuel F. Navedo and Julie Bossuyt from UC Davis; Sherif Bahriz from UC Davis and Mansoura University; Bing (Rita) Xu and Yang K. Xiang from UC Davis and VA Northern California.

This work was supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health, the American Heart Association, and the Veterans Administration Merit Grant.

Resources

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January 20, 2023
Lisa Marie Presley’s memorial to be held at Graceland | CNN

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A public memorial has been planned at Graceland for Lisa Marie Presley.

The singer and songwriter died last week after being hospitalized following an apparent cardiac arrest.

She was 54.

According to a statement on Graceland’s website, the memorial is open to the general public and will be held at 9 a.m. on January 22 on the front lawn of Graceland Mansion in Memphis, Tennessee.

“In lieu of flowers, the family encourages all who wish to send something to do so in the form of a donation to The Elvis Presley Charitable Foundation,” a notice on the site reads.

The Elvis Presley Charitable Foundation supports arts, education and efforts on behalf of children in the Memphis area.

Elvis Presley purchased the estate in 1957 when he was just 22 years old.

He died in the mansion from cardiac arrest in 1977 and is buried on the grounds of Graceland, which is now a museum and a popular tourist attraction. Lisa Marie Presley will be buried there as well, alongside her son Benjamin Keough, who died by suicide in 2020 at the age of 27.

The Graceland estate was held in trust for Lisa Marie Presley, the only child of Elvis and Priscilla Presley, until her 25th birthday.

“Lisa Marie Presley became more closely involved with the management team of The Elvis Presley Trust and its business entity, Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc.(EPE), of which she was owner and Chairman of the Board until February 2005 when she sold a major interest in the company,” according to the Graceland website.

Over the weekend, grief expert David Kessler shared a photo of himself and Presley on his verified Instagram account, writing that she had asked him to accompany her to Memphis for an 88th birthday celebration for her late father days before her death.

“She had countless invites for the weekend, but for her, there were only three important ones: being at her father’s birthday celebration, spending time at her son and father’s grave after the tours left Graceland, and meeting with a recently bereaved mother,” Kessler wrote.

Presley was active in helping others deal with their grief, he wrote, including co-hosting grief groups with him at her home for other bereaved parents.

Kessler wrote that their time visiting Graceland was “so much fun and she was optimistic” and that “Graceland was her happy place and the employees who all knew her shared that she was looking so much better.”

“She looked more at peace and was so proud of the Elvis movie. Saturday night we sat at the graves of her father and son,” he wrote. “We talked about the heartbreak she grew up with and the more recent devastation of her son’s death. She showed me where she would be buried someday. I said a long time from now …and she said yes, I have so much to do.”

Presley is survived by her three daughters, actress Riley Keough and twins Finley and Harper Lockwood. A rep for Graceland confirmed to People that they will inherit the estate.

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January 17, 2023
The Society of Thoracic Surgeons 59th Annual Meeting – January 20-23, San Diego
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Newswise — Credentialed press representatives are invited to attend The Society of Thoracic Surgeons’ 59th Annual Meeting and Exhibition, which will include late-breaking scientific research, thought-provoking lectures, cutting-edge technologies, and innovative cardiothoracic surgery products. This meeting is the preeminent educational event in cardiothoracic surgery.

When: Saturday, January 21, to Monday, January 23, 2023

Where: San Diego Convention Center – Press office is Room 27A

STS 2023 Highlights:
- Scientific sessions that cover hot, top-of-mind subjects such as controversies in transplant practices, the future of coronary revasularization, and CABG vs. multivessel percutaneous intervention.
- Keynote lectures from high-profile speakers:
  
  Francisco G. Cigarroa, MD, a renowned transplant surgeon and the first Hispanic to be named Chancellor of The University of Texas System, will share his experiences as a third-generation physician. (Vivien T. Thomas Lecture, Saturday, January 21, 8-9 a.m. PT. Livestream available.)
  
  Peter K. Smith, MD, from the Duke University School of Medicine, will describe the evolution of the evidence base available for treatment selection for coronary artery disease. (C. Walton Lillehei Lecture, Monday, January 23, 9-9:45 a.m. PT. Livestream available.)
  
  Vivien Thomas Symposium will focus on putting diversity, equity, and inclusion into action and mitigating health disparities. (Monday, January 23, 2:45-3:45 p.m. PT.)
- A recorded press briefing that spotlights some of the most exciting research from the meeting.
More details are available in the Annual Meeting program: https://www.eventscribe.net/2023/STS/

Registered reporters will have access to:
- Complimentary meeting registration
- Renowned experts within the cardiothoracic surgery specialty
- Embargoed press materials, abstracts, and presentation slides, and recorded press briefing
The press office (Room 27A) can be made available for media use upon request during meeting hours, Saturday, January 21 through Monday, January 23. If no STS staff member is present in the press office,

Press releases and abstracts will be available in advance of the meeting. Please contact STS Media Relations staff directly to schedule interviews and locate experts before and during the meeting, as well as to learn more information on the guest lecturers.

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Founded in 1964, The Society of Thoracic Surgeons is a not-for-profit organization representing approximately 7,700 cardiothoracic surgeons, researchers, and allied health care professionals worldwide who are dedicated to ensuring the best possible outcomes for surgeries of the heart, lung, and esophagus, as well as other surgical procedures within the chest. The Society’s mission is to enhance the ability of cardiothoracic surgeons to provide the highest quality patient care through education, research, and advocacy.
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January 12, 2023
Damar Hamlin discharged after spending more than a week hospitalized due to a cardiac arrest | CNN

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Buffalo Bills player Damar Hamlin has been discharged from a Buffalo medical center, his club said Wednesday, after more than a week of hospitalization due to a cardiac arrest he suffered during a “Monday Night Football” game this month.

The 24-year-old Bills safety had been showing signs of accelerated improvement in the days leading up to his release from Buffalo General Medical Center in New York, hospital officials had said.

“We have completed a series of tests and evaluations, and in consultation with the team physicians, we are confident that Damar can be safely discharged to continue his rehabilitation at home and with the Bills,” a physician leading Hamlin’s care in Buffalo, Dr. Jamie Nadler, said in a statement the Bills released Wednesday on Twitter.

Hamlin initially was hospitalized in Cincinnati when his heart suddenly stopped after a tackle during a game against the host Cincinnati Bengals on January 2, but was transferred to the Buffalo facility Monday after doctors determined his critical condition had improved enough for the move.

Doctors at the Buffalo hospital were trying to determine why Hamlin suffered the cardiac arrest, Kaleida Health, the group of hospitals that includes the Buffalo medical center, said before his discharge. That included whether pre-existing conditions played a role in the event, which shocked many around the country and prompted a huge outpouring of support for the second-year NFL player.

On Tuesday, Hamlin went through “a comprehensive medical evaluation as well as a series of cardiac, neurological and vascular testing,” the Bills said on Twitter.

No cause of Hamlin’s cardiac arrest has been publicly announced.

“Special thank-you to Buffalo General it’s been nothing but love since arrival! Keep me in y’all prayers please!” Hamlin tweeted Tuesday.

It will be up to Hamlin to decide when he will be around the team again while recovering, Bills coach Sean McDermott said Wednesday.

“Grateful first and foremost that he is home with his parents and his brother, which is great,” McDermott told reporters Wednesday, as the Bills prepared to host the Miami Dolphins for a playoff game Sunday. No timetable for Hamlin’s return to professional football has been announced.

“We’ll leave (when he’ll be around the team) up to him. His health is first and foremost in our mind as far as his situation goes and when he feels ready, we will welcome him back,” McDermott said.

While in critical condition in Cincinnati, Hamlin was sedated and on a ventilator for days. On Friday morning the breathing tube was removed, and Hamlin began walking with some help by that afternoon, his doctors said Monday.

The health care team focused on stabilizing Hamlin and upgraded his condition Monday because his organ systems were stable and he no longer needed intensive nursing or respiratory therapy, doctors said.

“He’s certainly on what we consider a very normal to even accelerated trajectory from the life-threatening event that he underwent,” Dr. Timothy Pritts, chief of surgery at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, said earlier this week. “He’s making great progress.”

Normal recovery from a cardiac arrest can be measured in weeks to months, Pritts said Monday. Hamlin had been beating that timeline at each stage and is neurologically intact.

When Hamlin collapsed seconds after an open-field tackle against a Bengals wide receiver, medical personnel rushed onto the field and administered CPR quickly – which helped save his life.

Hamlin’s heart had stopped, and medical responders revived it twice before putting him into an ambulance and taking him to the hospital. The immediate actions of medical personnel were vital to “not just saving his life, but his neurological function,” said Pritts.

The horrifying scene of Hamlin suddenly falling on his back after standing up following the tackle unsettled his teammates, the other players and millions of watching fans.

The game was initially postponed and later cancelled by the NFL – a decision several former football players said was a sign of a shift in prioritizing players’ mental and physical health.

Now, the Bills organization is encouraging people to learn the critical, life-saving skill of administering CPR.

The team has pledged support for resources including CPR certifications, automated external defibrillator units and guidance for developing cardiac emergency response plans within the Buffalo community, according to the statement. “We encourage all our fans to continue showing your support and take the next step by obtaining CPR certification,” the Bills said.

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January 11, 2023
Damar Hamlin is showing continued progress and expects to be released from the hospital in the coming days, source says | CNN

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Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin has shown continued progress with his recovery after his cardiac arrest and on-field collapse, and expects to be released from the hospital in the coming days, a source told CNN.

Six days after 24-year-old Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest and collapsed during a game against the Cincinnati Bengals, the NFL star on Sunday posted a photo of himself on social media that shows him sitting up in his hospital bed and making a heart sign with his hands while wearing a number 3 hat and a “Love for Damar” shirt.

Hamlin tweeted more than a dozen times reacting to the Bills 35-22 win over the New England Patriots Sunday, and expressed his desire to be out on the field with his teammates.

“It’s GameDay & There’s Nothing I Want More Than To Be Running Out That Tunnel With My Brothers,” he wrote.

Hamlin also watched from his hospital bed Sunday as teams across the NFL honored him during the last games of the regular season, with players, coaches and fans expressing their support with T-shirts, signs and jersey patches featuring his name and his number 3.

At the Bills’ Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, several of Hamlin’s teammates took the field waving flags with his name and jersey number while many in the audience raised heart-shaped signs to pay tribute to the football player.

The day before, the Bills tweeted that Hamlin continues to breathe on his own and his neurological function is excellent, but he was still in critical condition, citing his doctors.

Hamlin collapsed after making a tackle during the first quarter of the Bills’ game against the Cincinnati Bengals last Monday night. He was rushed from the field in an ambulance, leaving players crying and embracing, and unleashing an outpouring of support from fans and others across the country.

The game was initially postponed, then later canceled by the NFL.

Before Sunday’s game between the Baltimore Ravens and the Bengals, the medical staff who rushed to Hamlin’s aid were honored at Cincinnati’s Paycor Stadium – the same field where Hamlin suffered the cardiac arrest.

At New York’s Highmark Stadium, Buffalo Bills wide receiver John Brown gave a game ball to assistant athletic trainer Denny Kellington, the man credited with saving Hamlin’s life by administering critical CPR to the football player – who doctors say lost his pulse on the field had to be immediately revived through resuscitation and defibrillation.

The immediate response of Kellington and other medical personnel was vital to “not just saving his life, but his neurological function,” Dr. Timothy Pritts, one of Hamlin’s doctors at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, has said.

Hamlin was sedated after being taken to the hospital. Doctors announced Thursday that he had started to awaken and he appears neurologically intact, while still critically ill and on a ventilator.

“Did we win?” was Hamlin’s first question upon awakening, according to Pritts, who said he scribbled the question on a clipboard.

On Friday, the Bills said Hamlin’s breathing tube was removed overnight and he had spoken to his teammates via video.

Following the victory over the Patriots on Sunday, Bills cornerback Tre’Davious White said Hamlin texted members of the team prior to Sunday’s game, saying, “I’m thinking about y’all, I’m sorry that I did that to y’all.”

“For him to check on us when he is the person that’s going through what he’s going through – that just shows what type of person he is.”

White said incident Monday’s incident still haunts the six-year NFL veteran.

“To see everything transpire, from the hit, to him getting up, to him falling, to everything – it’s just something that I can’t … unsee. Every time I close my eyes it replays. I tried watching tv and every time the tv goes to commercial, that’s the only thing that comes to my mind,” White said.

During Sunday’s Bills game, the public address announcer read a statement of support for Hamlin and received a roar from the crowd, which included fans in a sea of blue and red who held up signs of support for Hamlin saying “BILLI3VE,” “All the heart for #3,” “Love for Damar,” “Did we win” and “Thank You Medical Staff!”

Several of Hamlin’s teammates, including Josh Allen and Kaiir Elam, took the field waving flags with Hamlin’s name and jersey No. 3.

Then the game began with a bang.

Bills returner Nyhiem Hines took the opening kickoff for a 96-yard touchdown, sending the crowd into euphoria and prompted Hamlin to tweet, “OMFG!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

Hines said the team needed this win after the events of the past week.

“As a community, I feel like we needed this win. I feel like my brothers in that locker room, we needed some great energy and some great vibes. And we had to win this,” Hines said.

Other teams around the league also paid tribute to Hamlin Sunday.

In Cincinnati, Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins, who was involved in the play where Hamlin was injured, wore a “Love for Damar” t-shirt during pregame warmups.

Prior to the start of the game, the stadium’s announcer read a statement that asked fans for a moment of support for Hamlin, his family and the first responders.

The fans in Cincinnati, many with signs supporting Hamlin, cheered loudly. The television broadcast also showed Bengals coach Zac Taylor wearing a “Love for Damar” hoodie during the tribute.

Ahead of the Chargers-Broncos game, Broncos Quarterback Russell Wilson and Chargers safety Derwin James met at midfield, both wearing No. 3, and led a moment of support for Hamlin.

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January 8, 2023
Damar Hamlin’s doctors are working to get him breathing without a ventilator after his mid-game cardiac arrest left him in critical condition | CNN

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Cincinnati
CNN
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After suffering a cardiac arrest mid-game on Monday, Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin remains sedated on a ventilator as doctors work toward getting him to breathe on his own, his uncle said, while uneasy supporters across the nation await word of his fate.

The 24-year-old player still was in critical condition Tuesday night, his uncle Dorrian Glenn told CNN, after his collapse on the field the prior night halted the Bills game against the Cincinnati Bengals, stunning a packed stadium that had only moments earlier been rippling with excitement over the catch and run ahead of Hamlin’s tackle of a Bengals wide receiver.

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In just seconds, medical personnel were rushing onto the field to administer CPR and resuscitate Hamlin in front of his teammates, many of whom fell to their knees, sent up a prayer or were openly weeping and embracing one another.

Hamlin would be resuscitated twice that night – once on the field and again when he was hurried into the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, where he was still being treated Tuesday night, his uncle said.

“I’m not a crier, but I’ve never cried so hard in my life. Just to know, like, my nephew basically died on the field and they brought him back to life,” Glenn said.

Hamlin is on a ventilator to relieve some of the strain on his lungs, which have been damaged, according to Glenn. The doctors told Glenn his nephew has also been “flipped over on his stomach” in the hospital to help with the blood on his lungs, he said, adding, “It seems like he’s trending upwards in a positive way.”

The game was suspended with nearly six minutes left in the first quarter and was later officially postponed. It will not be resumed this week, and no decision has been made on whether to continue it at a later date, the NFL said Tuesday.

On-field injuries are not uncommon in the league, which often resumes play even after severe cases. But several current and former players have said Hamlin’s cardiac arrest felt especially disturbing as medical personnel fought to save his life while fans and players looked on.

Bills offensive tackle Dion Dawkins realized the gravity of his teammate’s condition when Hamlin stayed on the ground as more and more medical staff were called over, he said.

“In that moment, you’re just thinking like, ‘What can I do? What can we do?’ And it just immediately breaks you down into prayer,” Dawkins told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer on Tuesday. “Whether you’re a believer or not, only a higher power can really take control of what is next. And our people that help also assisted that higher power.”

Hamlin’s collapse marks the latest in a series of tragic blows for the players and Buffalo community, which in the past few months has endured a racist mass shooting and a historic blizzard that left at least 41 people dead in Erie County, New York. “It has been, you know, just (a) constant beating for Buffalo,” Dawkins said.

A swell of support has surrounded Hamlin and his family as messages of prayers and well wishes have flooded in from star athletes, fans and national leaders. A fundraiser that Hamlin previously had started for his Chasing M’s Foundation toy drive has raised more than $6 million since his hospitalization.

At a prayer service for the player Tuesday night, community members described the heartbreak of watching “one of our own” endure such a crisis.

“All you can do right now is pray for Damar. The man, not the football player, not the Buffalo Bill, but the person. He has to pull through,” the city’s poet laureate Jillian Hanesworth said.

It is still unclear what led to Hamlin’s cardiac arrest – a condition that results from electrical disturbances that cause the heart to suddenly stop beating properly. Death can occur quickly if help isn’t rendered immediately. It is not the same as a heart attack or heart failure.

When the heart is not beating well, fluid can sometimes back up into the lungs and make it hard for medical staff to oxygenate the patient, CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta explained. So, they will flip the person on their stomach into a prone position to make breathing easier.

It sounds like Hamlin is still having a significant amount of cardiac dysfunction and his heart cannot pump enough blood, Gupta said.

One of the treatment options is to decrease the body’s demand for oxygenated blood, he told CNN’s Anderson Cooper on Tuesday.

“So, you want to improve the amount of circulation, but in the interim, you can also decrease the demand by sedating somebody, by keeping them on a breathing machine,” he said. “Sometimes they’ll even use cooling agents, hypothermia it’s called, to basically almost put the body in more of a hibernation-like state so it’s not demanding as much oxygenated blood. That’s part of the reason he would be on a breathing machine as well.”

Hamlin’s family on Tuesday thanked the UC Medical Center staff “who have provided exceptional care to Damar.”

“On behalf of our family, we want to express our sincere gratitude for the love and support shown to Damar during this challenging time. We are deeply moved by the prayers, kind words, and donations from fans around the country,” its statement said.

Several star athletes – including tennis player Coco Gauff, the NFL’s JJ Watt and NBA legend LeBron James – have applauded the NFL’s decision to postpone the game and have emphasized the importance of Hamlin’s safe recovery over the game’s outcome

Former NFL player Donté Stallworth said the league’s decision to postpone the game wouldn’t have happened years ago. “Five, 10 years ago, the game probably would have resumed,” he told CNN’s Jim Sciutto on Tuesday.

“I don’t know if you can make the game any much safer,” he said. “This is a brutal sport. I think people forget that. They look at players more as commodities sometimes, especially with fantasy football.

“Sometimes we forget the human side, that these players are actually human beings and they have families and they have wives and kids,” he added, pointing out that Hamlin’s “mother was there witnessing this with her own eyes.”

Dawkins was relieved and grateful that his team did not have to continue playing, he said.

“The fact that we did not have to go back out there on that field and play just shows that there is care, and that’s all we can ever ask for is that we get treated as people,” he said. “Because most people just treat us as athletes, as superstars, and some people like celebrities, but in that moment they treated us like people.”

Bills players and staff are still processing Monday night’s events, a source within the team told CNN’s Coy Wire on Tuesday.

The continued shock of Hamlin’s hospitalization – on top of the city’s mass shooting in May, deadly December blizzard, having a home game in November moved to Detroit and getting stuck in Chicago during the holidays – has been heavy on everyone associated with the club, the source said.

“Everyone is exhausted,” the source told Wire, adding that the team’s flight back to New York didn’t land until 3:30 a.m. ET on Tuesday.

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January 4, 2023
Sports Medicine Experts Available to Discuss Damar Hamlin’s Injury

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Newswise — Loyola Medicine sports medicine and cardiology experts are available to discuss the incident involving Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin, who suffered a cardiac arrest on the field following a tackle during Monday night’s football game against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Loyola Medicine’s team of sports medicine specialists provides comprehensive, integrated orthopaedic and sports medicine care. Built on a tradition of excellence and innovation, Loyola Medicine’s comprehensive heart and vascular program brings together specialists from all aspects of cardiology and vascular care. Specialists treat a wide variety of cardiac and vascular conditions and diseases while offering nationally acclaimed comprehensive heart and vascular services.

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January 3, 2023
Can (Holiday) Stress Cause a Heart Attack?
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Newswise — The joy, excitement and rush – physically and emotionally – of the holidays are here. Along with gifts, magic and memories comes the stress: shopping, over-spending, cooking, events, expectations and family dynamics. It should be no surprise that, left unchecked, the stress and anxiety of creating the picture-perfect holiday can be detrimental to physical and mental health. And that includes heart health.

“When we try to be everything to everyone we lose sight of our personal health,” says University Hospitals cardiologist Myttle Mayuga, MD. “We don’t eat right. We don’t get enough exercise, rest and downtime. And we get stressed easily. All of these factors increase the risk of heart disease and heart attack.”

Heart Disease Risks

Heart disease is the number one killer of men and women. Most people know the common risk factors for heart disease, which include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity and smoking. But fewer people are aware of the significant risks that stress, depression and anxiety can pose to heart health.

Ongoing or sudden extreme life circumstances, such as divorce, ongoing family conflict, personal disaster or the death of a loved one, have been linked to heart attacks and heart failure. And persistent stress can diminish or prevent healing. But how does stress actually cause heart problems?

Connecting Stress with Heart Disease

When under stress, the body releases cortisol and other stress hormones. Cortisol signals the nervous system to increase heart rate and blood pressure for the body’s “fight or flight” response. In the short-term cortisol is good, powering you when you need it most. But in the long-term, ongoing stress can contribute to high blood pressure and can cause stress in other parts of the body as well.

In addition to increasing the risk of heart attack and blood clots, high blood pressure may also increase the risk for heart failure. Narrowed and hardened vessels require the heart to work harder to pump blood to the body. To meet the demand, the heart gets larger and pumps faster. With the heart working harder than it should and beyond its capabilities, in time, a person could experience fatigue, shortness of breath and an inability to accomplish daily activities – all symptoms of heart failure.

How to Relieve Stress & Protect Heart Health

Despite the stress of the holidays, it’s crucial to make your health a priority throughout the season. Lifestyle choices that benefit your physical and mental health will also support your heart health.
- First, support your physical health. Along with the occasional indulgences of holiday treats, try to maintain a healthy diet of nutritious whole foods. Stay hydrated by choosing water or low-calorie, non-caffeinated beverages which can help curb overeating and high-calorie cravings. Drink alcohol responsibly and sparingly. If you smoke, find help to quit. And stay active through focused exercise, daily activities and high-energy opportunities such as dancing or winter sports. Get plenty of rest and good quality sleep.
- Second, do your best to reduce stress. Focus on things that add joy and meaning during the holidays. Make your holiday season to-do list, then consider each item and choose what’s most important. Let go of unachievable expectations and extras that simply add stress. Calm yourself with physical relaxation exercises, breathing and meditation. Strengthen your spirit and soul through volunteer services or events, small acts of gratitude and kindness, and charitable giving to boost personal meaning and connection.
- Finally, to reduce heart risk, it’s critical to know your numbers – your blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol levels – and follow your doctor’s advice. An ounce of prevention is more valuable than a pound of cure. If you find that holiday stress is taking over, talk with a health care provider. Get the help and advice you need to improve diet and exercise, reduce alcohol intake, quit smoking and reduce stress.
The experts at University Hospitals Harrington Heart & Vascular Institute have the advanced training and experience to diagnose and treat all types of cardiovascular conditions, including hypertension. Their expertise ranges from the management of chronic diseases to the most complex open heart surgical procedures – and everything in between.
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December 28, 2022
Researchers ID Protein That May Protect the Heart During Certain Cancer Treatment Regimens

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Newswise — BOSTON – Anthracyclines are a class of chemotherapies effective in treating many forms of cancer, including leukemias, lymphomas and breast cancer. Anthracyclines — such as doxorubicin, frequently used against breast cancer — kill cancer cells by damaging their DNA. However, these effective chemotherapies also cause toxic effects in the heart in about ten percent of patients that can eventually lead to heart failure, particularly in older patients with pre-existing cardiovascular disease. Currently, physicians lack robust strategies to predict which patients are at risk for this anthracycline-associated heart damage — called cardiac toxicity, a decline in heart function that can lead to heart failure — or to detect it in its earliest stages.

Now, a team led by researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) has identified a protein linked with the onset of anthracycline-associated cardiac toxicity. In two studies conducted in women undergoing treatment for breast cancer, levels of a protein known as hemopexin circulating in the blood were associated with increased cardiac toxicity. Follow up studies in mice revealed the protein has heart-protective properties. These findings, published in Science Advances, suggest the body produces the protein as a protective measure against the therapy-induced cardiac toxicity. If so, clinicians might one day use the protein to monitor patients undergoing anthracycline cancer treatment for signs of abnormal heart function with a simple blood test.

“Given the increasing burden of both heart failure and cancer in the aging population, the development of new biomarkers and heart-protective strategies is essential to minimizing the impact of cancer therapy-associated cardiac toxicity,” said senior and corresponding author Aarti Asnani, MD, a cardiologist and director of the Cardio-Oncology Program at BIDMC. “This study identifies the induction of circulating hemopexin as a heart-protective mechanism relevant to patients treated with anthracyclines.”

Asnani and colleagues studied 30 women diagnosed with breast cancer and scheduled to undergo treatment with anthracycline chemotherapies. Participants had bloodwork and other data collected at baseline before receiving the doxorubicin regimen. Questionnaires, blood samples and echocardiograms were obtained every three months during the study period.

At three months after initiating cancer treatment, the scientists saw an overall decline in heart function across the cohort of participants, with six patients developing symptoms of heart failure within a year. During this time, the researchers monitored 1,317 proteins circulating in participants’ blood plasma. The team observed changes in a total of 39 proteins, with increases in hemopexin being most strongly associated with early heart toxicity. A second study with a cohort of 31 women yielded nearly identical results.

“Based on these human findings, we used a mouse model that closely mirrored the heart issues observed in patients treated with doxorubicin,” said first author Jing Liu, MD, PhD, a post-doctoral researcher in the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine at BIDMC. “As we saw in patients, plasma hemopexin was elevated in mice within 24 hours after completion of chemotherapy and was strongly associated with subsequent cardiac function.”

Having established a clear link between anthracycline-induced cardiac toxicity and increased hemopexin levels, the scientists sought to determine hemopexin’s functional role. When researchers treated wild type (normal) lab mice with doxorubicin, they found that administering hemopexin prevented the development of cardiac dysfunction. However, when they performed a similar experiment in genetically altered mice that lack the naturally occurring hemopexin protein, the hemopexin-deficient mice demonstrated increased doxorubicin cardiac toxicity compared to wild type mice. The findings suggest the body may produce hemopexin as a protective response to anthracycline-induced cardiac damage.

“These findings serve as the basis for future investigations to develop hemopexin as both a biomarker and a protective therapy for patients at risk of chemotherapy-related heart toxicity,” said Asnani, who is also an associate member of the Cancer Research Institute at BIDMC. “We are now working to investigate whether our findings apply to a larger group of patients of different genders and other types of cancer, such as lymphoma.”

Co-authors included Sarah Lane, Rahul Lall, Laurie Farrell, and Robert E. Gerszten of BIDMC; Michelle Russo, Emanuela Tolosano and Alessandra Ghigo of University of Torino; Melis Debreli Coskun and Jonghan Kim of University of Massachusetts, Lowell; Raquel Araujo-Gutierrez and Barry H. Trachtenberg of Houston Methodist Heart and Vascular Center; and Marielle Scherrer-Crosbie of Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania.

This work was supported by the National Institute of Health (grants K08HL145019 and R01HL 163172) and the American Heart Association (#20POST352109680). Asnani has consulted or served on an Advisory Board for Sanofi, AstraZeneca and Cytokinetics and serves as the principal investigator on a sponsored research agreement with Genentech, all unrelated to the current work. Ghigo is a cofounder and board member of Kither Biotech, a pharmaceutical product company developing P13K inhibitors for the treatment of respiratory disease, not in conflict with statements present in this article. The other authors declare that they have no competing interests.

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December 27, 2022