“Overall, studies of meditation suggest a possible benefit on cardiovascular risk, although the overall quality and in some cases quantity of study data is modest,” said the statement, released Thursday.
The committee looked at 57 studies that researched common types of “sitting meditation” and whether the practice had any impact on heart disease.
The group excluded studies of meditation that incorporated physical activity – such as yoga or Tai Chi – because physical activity itself has been proven to help the heart.
But research is more limited on meditation and heart health.
Meditation itself has been around for centuries — at least as early as 5000 B.C.
He said he finds that it helps him to feel calmer and allows him to observe his anxiety without reacting to it.
In addition, 17 percent of all cardiovascular disease patients surveyed expressed interest in participating in a clinical trial of meditation.
Not all views expressed in American Heart Association News stories reflect the official position of the American Heart Association.
In observance of the day this year, the American Heart Association, the world’s leading voluntary organization dedicated to building healthier lives, free of cardiovascular diseases and stroke, is honoring 11 women who are sharing their stories to inspire others as part of the 2017 Go Red For Women class of Real Women.
The campaign emphasizes that small changes can make a powerful difference, and encourages people to fuel their heart with a healthy diet, love their heart by not smoking, move their heart by staying active, and know their numbers (blood sugar, blood pressure, total and HDL cholesterol, and body mass index) to manage their risk.
The American Heart Association’s Go Red For Women Real Women represent a sisterhood of survivors who actively, urgently, and passionately participate in the movement to raise awareness of the issues connecting women and heart diseases and stroke.
She now shares her story in her classes to encourage her colleagues and patients to know their numbers, take symptoms seriously and trust their medical providers.
Each woman selected for Go Red For Women’s Real Women class has a unique, personal story about their heart or brain health journey.
Cardiovascular diseases kill about one woman every 80 seconds and about 80% of cardiovascular diseases may be preventable. The American Heart Association, the Go Red Real Women, and the World Heart Federation know that small lifestyle changes can make a powerful difference to our heart health.
Go Red For Women is the American Heart Association’s national movement to end heart disease and stroke in women. Go Red For Women advocates for more research and swifter action for women’s heart health.
. Nearly one-third of women surveyed reported getting an annual check-up from their ob-gyn. But only 13 percent of women talk about heart health at their ob-gyn visit, according to the national survey of about 1,000 women ages 18-64.
1 health threat.
Those discussions should happen, and they should include long-term health, said panelist Haywood Brown, M.D., president of the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.
The key is to improve relationships and communications between ob-gyns and cardiologists, Brown said.
A new scientific statement from the American Heart Association has concluded that meditation may help to lower heart disease risk, but that adopting a heart-healthy lifestyle and adhering to medical advice should remain the primary prevention strategies.
The conclusion, which was recently published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, comes from a comprehensive review of existing studies investigating the effects of meditation on risk factors for heart disease.
Heart disease refers to a number of conditions that impact the functioning of the heart, including coronary heart disease, irregular heartbeat, or arrhythmia, and heart attack.
For individuals who have risk factors for heart disease, which may include high blood pressure and high cholesterol, combining lifestyle changes with medications may help. In recent years, studies have indicated that meditation may also benefit heart health.
For their review, Dr. Glenn N. Levine – chair of the writing group for the American Heart Association (AHA) Scientific Statement – and colleagues analyzed existing studies with the aim of determining whether or not meditation could help to reduce heart disease risk.
Previous studies that investigated combined mind-body practices – such as yoga and Tai Chi – were excluded from the review, as the authors say that the physical activity involved in such practices has already been shown to benefit heart disease risk.
However, the authors say that there is not enough evidence to confirm this benefit, or to determine the extent by which mediation may reduce blood pressure.
Experiencing a high number of traumatic events could increase a woman’s risk of developing heart disease, especially after menopause, a new study suggests.
Endothelial function refers to how well the endothelium – or the layer of epithelial cells that lines the interior of the heart and blood vessels – helps to regulate the constriction and relaxation of blood vessels.
Endothelial dysfunction is a considered a risk factor for heart disease.
The new study – led by researchers from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine in Pennsylvania – suggests that traumatic experiences could increase the risk of endothelial dysfunction in women, particularly for those who are postmenopausal.
None of the women smoked.
Each woman reported how many traumatic events they had experienced during their lifetime.
The team found that women who reported experiencing at least three traumatic events in their lifetime had poorer endothelial function than those who had fewer traumatic experiences, suggesting that they may be at greater risk of heart disease.
According to Dr. Thurston, the team’s findings “underscore the importance of psychosocial factors, such as trauma exposure, in the development of heart disease risk in midlife women.”
Dr. JoAnn Pinkerton, executive director of the NAMS, believes that physicians should take these study findings into account when assessing women’s risk of heart disease.
