Health News Roundup: Sleep Apnea, Hot Peppers, and Erectily Dysfunction
May 19, 2008
Today’s roundup: Sleep Apnea Raises Flying Risk, Erectile Dysfunction a Strong Harbinger of Heart Trouble, and Why Eating Hot Peppers is Good for You.
Sleep Apnea Raises Flying Risk
People with obstructive sleep apnea may be at greater risk for heart troubles during air travel, a new study shows.
Sleep apnea is a common condition characterized by temporary breathing interruptions during sleep, often due to an upper airway obstruction.
People with sleep apnea often snore loudly and gasp for air during sleep.In a new study, Australian researchers looked at oxygen levels and breathing patterns in healthy people and in 22 people with severe sleep apnea during a simulated flight.
All study subjects were awake, and the conditions in the simulator mimicked oxygen and pressure levels typically found on commercial airline flights.
The researchers found that people with obstructive sleep apnea had lower levels of oxygen in their blood before and during the simulated flight.
People with apnea experienced higher heart rates, physiological stress and demand for oxygen than healthy people, according to the findings, presented this weekend at the American Thoracic Society’s 2008 International Conference in Toronto.
- Source: Sleep Disorder Raises Heart Risks While Flying, New York Times, May 19, 2008
Erectile Dysfunction a Strong Harbinger of Heart Trouble
Findings from two studies of men with diabetes add to the evidence that erectile dysfunction can be a powerful early warning sign for serious heart disease.
A Hong Kong study of 2,306 men with diabetes but no signs of heart disease found that those with erectile dysfunction at the start were 58 percent more likely to have a heart attack or other major cardiac problem over the next four years than those with adequate sexual function.
And Italian physicians who followed 291 men who had diabetes and early coronary heart disease for four years reported similar numbers — those with erectile dysfunction were twice as likely as men without the problem to have major adverse events, including strokes.
It has been known that erectile dysfunction shares many risk factors with coronary heart disease, such as high blood pressure, smoking and diabetes, according to Dr. Robert A. Kloner, a professor of medicine at the University of Southern California, who wrote an accompanying editorial on the reports, which were expected to be published in the May 27 issue of theJournal of the American College of Cardiology.
“What is new here is that erectile dysfunction remained a significant risk factor for developing heart disease after controlling for other cardiovascular risk factors,” Kloner said in a statement.
- Source: Erectile Dysfunction a Strong Harbinger of Heart Trouble, HealthDay, via the Washington Post, May 19, 2008
Hot Peppers Good for You
During a recent “60 Minutes” interview, Senator Hillary Clinton unveiled a surprising weapon in her fight to become the Democratic presidential nominee: hot peppers.
Nutritionists say Mrs. Clinton may be on to something. Although the scientific study of hot peppers is limited, there are some suggestions that capsaicin, the active ingredient in peppers, has numerous health benefits.
For starters, peppers contain several important nutrients, including beta-carotene, lutein, zeaxanthin and vitamin C, said Jonny Bowden, a board-certified nutritionist and author of “The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth.’’In fact, peppers contain about twice the amount of vitamin C found in citrus fruits, which may help explain why they have emerged as a popular home remedy for fighting colds.
Much of the research on capsaicin involves pain relief, and capsaicin is a common ingredient in over-the-counter pain creams.
The analgesic effect of the capsaicin found in peppers may help explain why Mrs. Clinton believes it makes her feel better.
- Source: Hillary’s Health Plan: Hot Peppers, AP, via the New York Times blog, Feb. 12, 2008
