Angioplasty

We Are What Our Moms Ate

Guardian (UK)  |  Jul 1, 08 9:18 AM CDT

(Newser) - Long-term health problems such as obesity, diabetes, and heart disease may begin in the womb with mothers who eat junk food during pregnancy, the Guardian reports. A new study suggests expectant mothers who eat unhealthy diets not only risk the health of their newborns, but may set the child up for a lifetime of health problems. More »

Low Vitamin D Linked to Early Death

Reuters  |  Jun 24, 08 6:13 AM CDT

(Newser) - People with low levels of vitamin D are more likely to die earlier from a variety of causes than people with normal levels of the so-called "Sunshine Vitamin," according to a new study. The study is the latest to underscore the health benefits of vitamin D—and points to nearly twice the risk of early death from any cause, as well as from heart-related problems. More »

70s Comic Icon George Carlin Dies

Reuters  |  Jun 23, 08 3:59 AM CDT

(Newser) - Provocative comedian George Carlin died yesterday of heart failure in a Santa Monica hospital at the age of 71, Reuters reports. The counterculture hero, who long battled heart and drug problems, had been admitted earlier in the day complaining of chest pains. He was known for boundary-stretching, drug-referencing routines. One of his most famous schticks on seven "dirty words" led to a First Amendment battle in the US Supreme Court. More »

Russert's Son: 'My Dad's Last Speech'

People  |  Jun 18, 08 6:42 PM CDT

(Newser) - Tim Russert's 22-year-old son delivered what he called his "dad's last speech" today before a crowd of Washington luminaries, People reports. "My dad was my best friend," said a composed Luke Russert, who called his father a "force of nature" who combined his passion for work with a boundless humanity. The emotional service concluded with a video tribute from Bruce Springsteen, a guest Russert always hoped to land. More »

Coffee May Cut Heart Attacks

Reuters  |  Jun 17, 08 6:35 AM CDT

(Newser) - Regular coffee drinking has been linked to a reduced risk of fatal heart attacks, according to a new study of the health effects of coffee. Women who regularly drank three cups of coffee a day had a 25 percent lower risk of death from heart disease than women who didn't drink coffee. Some studies have found that coffee is a source of antioxidants, which may protect people from heart disease. More »

Dying Patients Helped by Docs' End-of-Life Talks

Associated Press  |  Jun 16, 08 5:51 AM CDT

(Newser) - While only a third of terminally-ill cancer patients received end-of-life talks from their doctors, those who did fared better, a study has found. Doctors who hedge may think they’re protecting their patients, but patients who got the talk were no more likely to get depressed, avoided living their final days in hospitals, and didn’t spend on expensive, futile care, the AP reports. More »

Russert's Death Grim Reminder of Heart Risks

Wall Street Journal  |  Jun 14, 08 12:10 PM CDT

(Newser) - The heart attack that claimed Tim Russert’s life yesterday was a textbook example of a one of modern medicine's blind spots. Roughly 300,000 Americans die of unexpected, out-of-hospital cardiac arrest each year, the Wall Street Journal reports. Doctors can predict the likelihood of an incident happening in the next 10 years, but they can’t tell if a patient is in imminent danger.   More »

Tim Russert Dead at 58

MSNBC  |  Jun 13, 08 4:04 PM CDT

(Newser) - Tim Russert, host of Meet the Press and longtime NBC News Washington bureau chief, died today after collapsing at work and apparently suffering cardiac arrest, MSNBC reports. He was 58. A 24-year NBC veteran, Russert was also the author of two New York Times best-sellers, Big Russ and Me and Wisdom of Our Fathers. More »

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