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Cardiovascular Disease
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Cardiovascular disease refers to conditions that affect the
heart or blood vessels. It describes conditions ranging from peripheral artery
disease and high blood pressure to heart attacks and strokes. It is the
number-one killer of Americans and the leading cause of hospitalization in the
VA health care system. It is also a major cause of disability. Although there
are many different forms of cardiovascular disease, one of the most common
forms is a narrowing or a blocking of the blood vessels that supply blood to
the heart. This is called coronary artery disease (CAD) and is the main reason
people have heart attacks.
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VA Research Spotlight is
a monthly roundup of research news on topics affecting Veterans' health. In honor of American
Heart Month, our focus is on cardiovascular health.
Heart procedures in VA versus community hospitals
Performing coronary revascularization procedures at
community care hospitals that partner with VA have benefits and downsides,
according to a VA study. Coronary revascularization refers to procedures to
treat artery narrowing or blockage near the heart. One in five elective
coronary revascularizations for VA patients was performed at community care
sites that were part of the VA Community Care Program. Patients who had
percutaneous coronary interventions at community-based medical centers had
shorter travel distances than their peers who had the procedure at VA
hospitals. However, community care patients had higher mortality and higher
costs than VA hospital patients. The results show that patients should be
provided with information to help them pick the health care professionals best
for them regardless of location, say the researchers. (
JAMA
Cardiology, Jan. 3, 2018)
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Effect of testosterone on cardiovascular risk remains
unclear
Results were mixed on
whether treatment for low testosterone in older men improves cardiovascular
risk factors, in a study that included several VA researchers. The researchers
looked at how testosterone treatment affects cardiovascular risk factors in 788
men age 65 or older. The study was part of a larger series of trials looking at how testosterone therapy affects a
number of health outcomes. Testosterone was linked to small reductions in cholesterol
and fasting insulin. But testosterone therapy did not affect other
cardiovascular risk factors, such as glucose markers, inflammation, or
clotting. More large studies are needed to figure out what effect testosterone
has on cardiovascular risk, say the researchers. (Journal
of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, Dec. 14, 2017)
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PTSD and heart disease can go hand in
hand
When
most people think of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) the first thing that
comes to mind is stress. But mental health isn't the only body system that can
suffer from the effects of PTSD. Researchers have known for quite some time
that prolonged stress can affect multiple organ systems, for example, the
cardiovascular system—which consists of the heart and blood vessels. (Spring
2017)
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Dr.
Ngan Huang, a biomedical engineer at the VA Palo Alto Health Care System,
currently has two former Marines interning in her lab, and plans to expand the
opportunity to other Veterans. (08/31/2017)
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More on cardiovascular health:
• Major
VA trial helps answer question of which heart bypass method is better
• New
app will target Veterans in cardiac rehab
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