Heart Disease Deaths are Being Linked to Chemical Widely Used in Plastics

    In a recent study conducted by NYU Health, researchers discovered that daily exposure to a chemical called di-ethyl-hexyl phthalate(DEHP) could be linked 356,000 global deaths from heart disease in 2018 alone. These phthalate chemicals are used globally, and are often found in cosmetics, detergents, solvents, plastic pipes, bug repellants, and other products. So when these chemicals break down and are ingested, the risk of conditions ranging from obesity and diabetes to fertility issues and cancer increase. DEHP, the chemical the study focused on, is used to make food containers, medical equipment, and other softer plastic that's more flexible. Research shows that exposure to DEHP prompts inflammation in the arteries of the heart which can build up over time, causing a stroke or heart attack. It was also concluded that DEHP is responsible for 13% of the global mortality rate from heart disease in men and women ages 55-64. By finding correlation between DHEP and a leading cause of death in the world, adds more evidence to the argument that these kinds of chemicals are dangerous to people and should no longer be used. In a previous study, it was also identified that phthalates were responsible for 50,000 premature deaths due to heart disease each year. DEHP related deaths in the United States are rather low, but for countries with less production restrictions, like China and India, the mortality rates are as high as ~50%. Results from this study should encourage more global action to reduce exposure to these chemicals, especially in areas affected by industrialization and plastic consumption. This analysis wasn't designed to establish that DEHP directly or alone caused heart disease and that higher death risks did not take into account other types of phthalates. Therefore leaving researchers to believe the mortality rate related to these chemicals to be much higher. 

Genetic Testing to Aid In the prevention of High Cholesterol

 Cholesterol is a substance that is found in your blood and is "waxy". Your body needs cholesterol to build and to continue to build healthy cells. However, higher levels of cholesterol can lead to heart disease. Scientists now are studying and testing to see if there is way to reduce these cardiovascular risks and see if it is heritable as well. There are procedures already formed for when an individual does get high cholesterol and is at the risk of heart disease. These scientists are studying individuals with high cholesterol and looking at the specific gene to see if there are ways to combat it. However, with their studied new areas are and still be discovered. For example, researchers from the European Alzheimer’s & Dementia Biobank Mendelian Randomization (EADB-MR) have found that determined increases HDL cholesterol and high blood pressure are both associated with a higher chance of developing Alzheimer's disease. So with all the research and findings that these scientists discover, also comes a lot of factors that they did not know about as well and shows that we still have a lot to learn and study.

Sources:

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/alzheimers-risk-linked-to-high-hdl-cholesterol-and-high-blood-pressure

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-blood-cholesterol/symptoms-causes/syc-20350800

https://www.upi.com/Health_News/2023/11/12/high-cholesterol-genetic-testing-study/7461699652208/

Genetic Heart Conditions Could be Cured with New Gene Editing Technology

Doctors from the US, UK, and Singapore have collaborated to cure genetic heart conditions by “rewriting” DNA. Base and prime gene editing will be used in the heart to silence incorrect genes. This will help direct the heart muscle to work properly. Heart muscle abnormality genes have a high chance of being passed on through generations. This new technology will reduce the number of deaths, heart failures, and heart transplants by fixing gene mutations. Errors in genes will create errors in DNA translation . DNA is turned to mRNA by adding matching nucleotides in the process of transcription. The mRNA then goes to the ribosome of the cell, where the mRNA is translated into proteins. If the wrong proteins are created due to DNA mutations, then the heart will not be able to function properly, since the muscle of the heart relies on certain proteins to contract and relax. Blood will not be able to reach all of the body if the muscles of the heart are too weak to pump. 

I think it’s important that base and prime gene editing is perfected, because there are many people that need heart transplants, and it is very difficult to find matching donors. There are also many other ways that this technology can be used. If it’s successful in the heart, then it could be applied in other areas of the body, which would reduce the number of people in need of an organ donation. Cancer is caused by DNA mutations, so this could also be applied to fix the errors in DNA that cause the cancer cells to rapidly divide and spread. 

Does Moderate Drinking Protect Your Heart?

Gina Kolata speaks with cardiologists from the Cleveland Clinic and another from Massachusetts General Hospital regarding a paper published in JAMA Network Open which suggests that as alcohol consumption increased the risk for heart disease did as well. The study was conducted using the medical data of over 400,00 people who are participants in the U.K. Biobank. The average age of the participants was about 57 and consumed about 9 drinks a week. The researchers found that those who consumed less alcohol per week had other characteristics that decreased their risk for heart disease like weighing less and exercising more often than those who consumed higher amounts of alcohol and those that didn't drink at all.

To differentiate between whether alcohol consumption had an effect on the heart or other habits, behaviors, and characteristics that had an effect on the heart, researchers used Mendelian randomization. Researchers found that there were certain genetic variants that could predispose people to heavier or lighter drinking. These variants are randomly distributed throughout the population. This way, researchers can ask whether or not those with these variants that are linked to higher alcohol consumption are more likely to experience heart diseases. 

Conclusively, the study found that moderate drinking had no effect on heart disease. I found this article interesting because the method of Mendelian randomization was used to study variants that could potentially cause people to drink more or less per week. Because these variants are randomly distributed, it is more effective. This was an important factor in terms of completing the study as it involved measuring how much people drank per week. To use genetics to provide reason for why individuals drink more or less than others was an interesting approach.

Did a Single Genetic Mutation Make Humans the Heart Attack Species?

"Did a Single Genetic Mutation Make Humans the Heart Attack Species?"


By: Cody Cottier






According to researchers from the University of California, they believe a mutation could have occurred 3.3 million years ago that turned off the CMAH gene in humans. This would be a possible reason as to why humans are more prone to cardiovascular issues because this gene protected mammals against that. "Namely, the loss of the gene made our forebears deficient in molecules called sialic acids." An experiment was done where researchers genetically modified mice to be similar to our human state and the atherosclerosis rate doubled compared to the regular. The mice that ate red meat also had an increased rate. This may not be the cause, but this is a factor to consider when researching humans and heart disease.

I think this could be a possible factor as to why humans are more prone to cardiovascular issues, but I also believe our diets are as well. Most people eat meat and we also live longer than many species. The fact that we live longer gives us the option to more issues. There may be a reason as to why we have evolved without this gene and if we had it now we may have other issues that we may have not considered.

http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/crux/2019/09/09/humans-gene-mutation-heart-attack-cardiovascular-disease/

Related Article:
https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/why-are-humans-only-species-prone-heart-attacks

Suffering from a broken heart? This new discovery could help.

In a very recent article written by Ana Sandoiu and published by Medical News Today, new research on regenerating heart tissue is discussed. This research was originally published in the journal Nature Communications. The study was conducted by Da-Zhi Wang from Boston M.A. and his colleagues. Continuing on from previous research conducted by Prof. Wang, the research team further expanded on the function of microRNAs in the generation of cardiomyocytes. The team identified two specific microRNA molecules which influenced the inflammatory response and cell death which follows a heart attack. These microRNA molecules are known as miR-19a and miR-19b. Experiments were conducted on mice who displayed promising results. The team intends to test the microRNAs on larger mammals and hopefully proceed to human studies. They hope this could be a revolutionary treatment and prevention of heart disease.

In America, heart disease is the leading cause of death. Heart disease can be caused by a variety of factors. A major element which causes this steep number of fatalities, is due to the hearts lack of ability to continue to proliferate new cardiomyocytes. This means that once the hearts cells are damaged they can not regenerate thus putting individuals at risk for heart failure. Our heart is the crucial for life and it deserves to be carefully cared for. However some events are out of our control. Discoveries such as these have the potential to save many people equip the heart to replace deceased cells.  

Obesity Caused by Genetic Mutation

A result of a couple studies investigated that weight control is related to genetics and not will power as must of us believe. The study was realized on people that have been thin their entire life. Their opinion on the subject was that they “did not care much about food”. These individuals only ate small amounts of food. The gene MC4R was used by Dr. Sadaf Farooqi, professor of metabolism and medicine at the University of Cambridge and Nick Wareham, and epidemiologist at the same university. Researchers from Britain found that some people carry a “genetic alteration” that mutes appetite. This includes a low chance of getting heart disease or diabetes. The study used data from the U.K biobank. These included half million people aged 40-69; their DNA samples and medical records was helpful information that enable researchers to track their health. The same data was used for a second study, which was used to make predictions as early as childhood. According to the researchers, there are biological reasons why some people struggle with overweight and others do not. This is related more towards appetite and not metabolism.

Obesity can be a cause of a genetic mutation, but personally I think many of the individuals who suffer from obesity is because they were introduced to junk food in their early childhood usually from parents. Lack of physical activity plays an important role as well, technology keeps the kids and adults entertained. Another cause could be stress in adults due to family issues or work.

Is insomnia an issue in your life?

    If you do not suffer from insomnia there is a high chance that at least you know someone that does. The negative effects of not being able to sleep at night are more serious than what we think. This involves physical health overall and also the efficiency at work or any other activity. Researchers have found that the inability of falling asleep involves a genetic component. Nature genetics provided information related to the issue and this implicates issues in brain regions related to heart diseases as well as psychiatric disorders such as depression. These studies have used DNA from many individuals. The first study done by Danielle Posthuma from Vrije University Amsterdam examined 1.3 million people using data from the genetics company 23andMe. Their results states “ 202 areas of the genome linked to insomnia were identified, indicating 956 genes”. 

    The next part of the investigation was to figure in which regions of the brain this was taking place. As a result they found them to be within the axons of neurons and parts of the cortex and the deep subcortical brain regions such as the striatum which is involved in movement. Another researcher, Richa Saxena from of Massachusetts General Hospital surveyed 450,000 genomes also from a Biobank. This investigation resulted in 236 genes in 57 regions. An extra step taken in this case was the observations of participants who wore motion detectors for a week in order record tossing, turning and sleepwalking. Their conclusion was that insomnia is related to neuropsychiatric disorders. Cognitive behavioral therapy can be more helpful rather than taking drugs which might not be as effective and can be addictive.

 People with insomnia have trouble falling asleep, staying asleep and in some cases both.

Even though I do not have this issue, I do know people that suffer from insomnia on a daily basis. Sometimes even people that stay awake all night due to their work schedules, are still not able to sleep at night. To people that do not suffer from insomnia as myself, we might think how is that even possible but it is a problem that unfortunately many people have. As mentioned, this will eventually cause health issues as well as not being productive due to lack of sleep.

Genetic Origin of Insomnia

In an article within Scientific American, there are biological side of insomnia which influences the brain and biological processes and uncovered a tie with heart disease and mental illness, genome-wide association studies (GWASs), which examine DNA from many thousands of individuals to determine where genetic markers related to health, disease or a particular trait reside. There were two studies that analyzed genomes and found genes which were affected. The results showed that insomnia is more related to neuropsychiatric disorders than sleep habits such as morning or night person. In addition, insomnia may be linked to causing depression and coronary artery disease. 

As someone who has a hard time sleeping occasionally, it can take a toll on your body both physically and mentally. Genetic origin of the affects on different genes of insomnia is something that can impact the future of how people can treat it. People make false ideas about curing insomnia by drinking tea or listening to ocean waves when in reality it's there genetics that are controlling the effects. 

Genetics could help improve clinical trials with Mendelian Randomization

 Geore Davey Smith, one of the founders of Mendelian Randomization

  This article discusses the idea of introducing Mendelian Randomization as a modified way of doing clinical trials. The article is specifically referring to using Mendelian Randomization in the area of heart disease. Years ago, a correlation was established between high-density lipoproteins (HDL, the good kind of cholesterol) and lower risk of heart disease. Studies showed that people with higher amount of HDL had a lower risk for heart disease. In response to these findings, drug companies tried to synthesize drugs that raise a person's HDL, however, this has not been successful, and people that have been treated with these kinds of drugs have not shown a significantly lower risk of heart disease, and the drug companies have been wasting money on these clinical trials. It is possible that higher levels of HDL do not cause a lower risk of heart disease, but that the two are merely correlated and that confounding variables could be the real cause of heart disease.

     Now a new approach is being taken to find a cause of heart disease, and this new approach involves a genetic technique called Mendelian Randomization that when paired with clinical trials can reveal significant causal information to epidemiologists. In most clinical trials, people are randomly divided up, half are given treatment, half are given a placebo, and after a certain amount of time their health is monitored and compared. Clinical trials are very expensive, so sometimes observational studies are used as a method of establishing correlation. Observational studies are also used as a method of establishing correlation. For example, by observing smokers vs. nonsmokers, epidemiologists have seen a correlation between smoking and a lower age of death. However, it cannot be concluded that smoking is the cause of lower age of death. Most times in observational studies there are confounding variables. For example, typically smokers tend to have a less healthy diet or drink, both of these could be possible causes for dying young as opposed to smoking being the sole cause.

     Mendelian Randomization, much like a clinical trial divides people up, but instead of it being random, people are divided on the basis of their genetic makeup. For example, in this scenario, this method would work by dividing people up based on the specific genotype associated with having higher levels of HDL vs a different version of the gene that does not contribute to higher levels of HDL. Comparing these two groups and whether or not they develop heart disease can reveal stronger evidence that higher levels of HDL are a cause for lower risk of heart disease. This is unless the gene for HDL affects multiple factors in a person's life.

      I found this article very interesting because I had never heard of Mendelian Randomization previously. I find it interesting, but I do think there are problems with the method, the biggest being whether or not the gene codes for multiple traits that affect whether or not the disease develops. I personally think there are too many variables to control for to conclusively decide using any method what causes heart disease. I also think that there is not just one cause. I think that the drug companies are oversimplifying their approach to prevent heart disease. So many factors in our life, such as genetics, or personality, or intelligence are all interrelated. I don't think you can conclusively find one or a few sole causes for heart disease and then try to synthesize a drug that treats just one or a few causes. I don't think it is realistic to conclude that because you have a certain genotype for higher HDL that you have a much lower risk of heart disease; there are many factors that contribute and it is merely impossible to scientifically determine a set list for what makes someone more likely to develop heart disease. I also think it isn't realistic to apply this set list to every individual because we are all different. Even if someone is genetically pre-disposed for high levels of HDL, that won't lower the risk of heart disease unless they live a healthy lifestyle. I think that with methods like these, it might start to get overused and people will start linking every gene to an increased or decreased risk for a certain health condition. I hope that this method does not get overused and that people don't get to the point of forgetting to live a healthy lifestyle because their genetic makeup suggests they are less likely to develop a certain disease.

Original Article
https://www.technologyreview.com/s/611713/researchers-find-way-to-mimic-clinical-trials-using-genetics/
Related article
https://www.khaleejtimes.com/nation/health/genetics-lifestyle-major-causes-for-heart-diseases

Reducing the Risk of Heart Disease

On a study published in the American Heart Association journal Hypertension they state that taking daily nutritional or nutraceuticals supplement becomes more important as we get older. The bennefits of taking such supplements is that it can prevent heart disease which is the nation’s number one killer. Aswell as many other health problems that can arise as we age. A study conducted by Matthew Rossman, a postdoctoral researcher in the department of integrative physiology and senior author Doug Seals, director of the Integrative Physiology of Aging Laboratory, recruited 20 healthy men and women age 60 to 79. Their goal was to determine the impact of a mitochondrial-specific antioxidant on vascular function in humans. Half took 20 milligrams per day of a supplement called MitoQ, made by chemically altering the naturally-occurring antioxidant Coenzyme Q10 to make it cling to mitochondria inside cells. The other half took a placebo. After six weeks, researchers determined how well the lining of blood vessels functioned, by measuring how much subjects' arteries dilated with increased blood flow. The researchers found that when taking the supplement, dilation of the arteries improved by 42% making their blood vessels, at least by that measure, look like those of someone 15 to 20 years younger. This resulted in a 13 percent reduction in heart disease, Rossman said. The study also showed that the improvement in dilation was due to a reduction in oxidative stress. In participants who, under placebo conditions, had stiffer arteries, supplementation was associated with reduced stiffness. Blood vessels grow stiff with age largely as a result of oxidative stress, the excess production of metabolic byproducts called free radicals which can damage the endothelium and impair its function. During youth, bodies produce enough antioxidants to quench those free radicals. But with age, the balance tips, as mitochondria and other cellular processes produce excess free radicals and the body's antioxidant defenses can't keep up, Rossman said. In conclusion I feel that this is one of the many trials that should be kept experimenting one because from the first trial they have obtain positive results therefore with each trial new discoveries can be made in the human body.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/04/180419141523.htm

https://www.medicinenet.com/heart_disease_coronary_artery_disease/article.htm#heart_cardiovascular_disease_definition_and_facts

Genes Behind Deadly Heart Condition Identified

    Pulmonary arterial hypertension has a mortality rate of 50% within five years and in some cases doctors could not determine the exact cause of it. Its most often seen in people with other heart or lung conditions however it can affect others and in about 20% of cases no obvious cause could be found. However in recent study with over 1,000 PAH patients with no known cause has revealed 5 genes to be the cause of the disease, four of which were previously thought to not affect it at all. It was found that the people with these gene mutations fail to produce proteins necessary to maintain the structure and function of body tissues.

   This is another example of how genetics can be used to improve current treatments and develop new ones for diseases that were previously hard to treat or even diagnose as previous information and methods just did not provide what was necessary. Genetic findings like this and other Genetic technologies like CRISPR could ultimately lead to an overhaul of how medicine works. We are coming ever closer to being able to correct heredity diseases before they ever even show and perhaps even "improve the genes" of children still in development like in the movie Gattaca. However it is still too early to see if this could actually become a reality or how the overall populace would react to such technologies.

Article - http://www.bbc.com/news/health-43727026
Journal - https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-018-03672-4

Working Out Bad Heart Genetics

Heart health is an important factor in living a long prosperous life, but certain genetic heart conditions may hinder the ability for some to have such longevity towards life. High Cholesterol, heart attacks, strokes, and abnormal heart rhythms can all be some common examples of genetic conditions that may affect the heart in a negative way.

Genetically inherited heart conditions can come as a common occurrence, or as a rare event that both have negative impacts on who it was passed down to. Improvements in technology allow for better detection of heart conditions of varying risk. Early detection may help to prevent or reduce the risk of genetically inherited heart conditions and can help to prevent further generations from experiencing such negative effects. 

However, studies show a promising outlook on heart health through daily physical activity. A study by the UK Biobank database had surveyed hundreds of thousands of people with genetically inherited heart conditions and found that those who participate in some form of physical activity had a reduced risk of heart attack and stroke even with the predisposed heart condition. It is important to understand that physical activity isn't the only path in having a healthy heart. A healthy diet, coupled with mental stimulation can allow for a reduced risk in heart conditions even if it has a high genetic risk. 

References:

Link to article about heart - exercise study

Link to advancements in heart health detection.

Exercise Can Help Overcome Bad Heart Genetics

Genes can help determine if people have a probability of getting a disease, such as heart disease. This doesn't mean that those who have a high chance of getting heart disease can't take measures to prevent it - studies have found that exercising can help reduce the risk of genetic heart disease. Researchers found that individuals who had a genetic susceptibility to heart diseases but displayed higher levels of physical activity, grip strength, and cardiorespiratory fitness showed a reduced risk of those diseases. Researchers state that those who have a high genetic risk should not be discouraged from excercising and that even if you don't have a genetic predisposition, you should still excercise. 

I think it's important to live a healthy lifestyle whether a person is genetically susceptible to a disease or not, but especially if they are. A healthy lifestyle can certainly help minimize any disease or health concerns, so studies like this should be taken into consideration by many.

Article: https://www.genengnews.com/gen-news-highlights/exercise-helps-overcome-bad-heart-genetics/81255678 

Original Study: Circulation

Lacking the Sleep you Need? Could be in your Genes...

Man suffering from Insomnia

Lacking the Sleep you Need? could be in your Genes...

It can be observed, through previously done testing, that an ongoing lack of sleep can lead to serious health issues, such as heart disease, diabetes, depression, and other mental illnesses. In a 2018 study, done by Murray Stein of the University of California, the previously known relationship between hereditary and insomnia was retested, to find the specific gene variants that are involved.

To complete his research, Stein and his team, DNA from more than 33,000 soldiers, in addition to soldiers of European, African, and Latino descent, were taken and studied; this was completed to determine whether ancestral lineage was a factor. The results were incredible. Stein’s study verified that insomnia, indeed, was partially due to genetics. In addition, it was confirmed that a link between insomnia and type II Diabetes and depression existed.

This genetic variance occurs on chromosome 7, and in European descents, a difference on chromosome 9. On chromosome 7, a correlation between the gene AUTS2, the gene for alcohol consumption, and the lack of sleep was found. These traits are in direct relation to brain development. According to Stein, “Such insomnia associated loci may contribute to the genetic risk underlying a range of health conditions including psychiatric disorders and metabolic disease.” Stein’s study holds importance, because it could change the way people suffering from insomnia are treated. New, safer treatments could possibly emerge, in the future, simply by understanding the molecular bases of insomnia.

Article URL: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/03/180309095520.htm

Image: https://news.uthscsa.edu/study-shows-insomnia-military-can-treated-without-medications/

Sudden Death

         A mutation of a gene known as CDH2, has been known to cause arrhythmogenic right ventricle cardiomyopathy (ARVC). ARVC is a genetic disorder that can predispose someone to early age cardiac arrest. This is one of a major causes for the unexpected death of healthy young people that show no signs of illness. ARVC is most seen in young healthy athletes. Athletes hearts experience overwhelming workload. Normally a healthy athletes heart would be able to hand the pressure; in the case of people with a mutation to gene CDH2 their hearts ultimately can not handle the pressure of rigorous activity and sudden cardiac arrest is experienced. The discovery of the link between the CDH2 gene and ARVC was uncovered by a South African team, researchers of the Italian Auxologico Institute of Milan and the university of Pavia. The discovery of this gene is important because discovery can lead to future genetic counseling for prevention and to inform people affected of precautionary measures. When this gene is inherited it will often cause sudden cardiac arrest and death in young adults under the age of 35. In patients with ARVC the hearts tissues are replaced with fatty and fibrous tissues this causes cardiac arrhythmia and ultimately can lead to sudden death within minutes. CDH2 produces a protein for adhesion between cardiac cells, when the mutation occurs this process dose not happen properly. As said by the researchers "identifying the gene is important because it helps to clarify the genetic mechanisms underlying ARVC, and it also makes the early detection of ARVC possible in otherwise unsuspecting people".
         This article is extremely important due to the fact is talks about the research of uncovering a gene that is known to cause sudden death in unsuspecting healthy people and young athletes. When showing no symptoms most people hardly ever go and get well check ups or physicals. All those seemingly healthy young people however might not be so healthy. With more research coming out about genes that might predispose us to serious conditions some do not even known about it will bring light to the importance of prevention of diseases and genetic counseling.Hopefully with prevention and genetic counseling we will bring awareness to serious conditions and save lives.

 For more information of sudden death in athletes visit; https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC155532/.

   For original article about the discovery of mutant CDHV2 gene visit: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/03/170309150637.htm

Learning from our parents' heart health mistakes

This study demonstrated the differences of heart health between Americans in the 1960s and today, and also the differences between American heart health and indigenous South Americans known as the Tsimane. CT scans of 705 Tsimane adults ages 40-94 showed that 9 out of 10 adults had clean coronary arteries and were at no risk of heart disease. It was shown that an eighty-year-old Tsimane has the same vascular health as an American in their mid-50s.

Considering the extreme diet differences between North and South Americans definitely plays a significant role in heart health separate from the impact cigarettes make. The diet of the Tsimane consists of protein and unprocessed complex carbs that are high in fiber. This combined with their very active lifestyles is very much the opposite of many North American lives.

The absence of cigarette smoking and artery-clogging saturated fats and improval of our sedentary lifestyles will bring down the current statistic of 1.7 million Americans succumbing to heart diseases each year.
Heart Health 
Smoking in the 1960s