Coconut oil is as unhealthy as beef dripping and butter, say US heart experts. It is packed with saturated fat which can raise “bad” cholesterol, says the American Heart Association in updated advice. Coconut oil is commonly sold as a health food and some claim the fat in it may be better for us than … Read more
A fresh study suggests there may be a link between taking high doses of common anti-inflammatory painkillers – such as ibuprofen – and heart attacks. The paper, published in The BMJ, builds on a previous body of work linking these drugs to heart problems. This research suggests the risk could be greatest in the first … Read more
Kevin McConway, emeritus professor of statistics at The Open University, said the paper threw some light on possible relationships between Nsaid painkillers and heart attacks. But he added: “Despite the large number of patients involved, some aspects do still remain pretty unclear. “It remains possible that the painkillers aren’t actually the cause of the extra … Read more
Common painkillers taken by millions of Britons can raise the risk of a heart attack by up to 50 percent, researchers have found. And one, diclofenac, is so dangerous it should not be taken at all, one expert warned. Others such as ibuprofen, which is sold over the counter in the UK, are not ‘harmless’ and … Read more
George Michael died as a result of heart disease, a coroner has confirmed. The pop star suffered a dilated cardiomyopathy with myocarditis and fatty liver, according to Darren Salter, senior coroner for Oxfordshire. The singer died aged 53 on Christmas Day at his home in Goring-on-Thames, Oxfordshire. Because there was a “natural cause of death”, … Read more
The effect of constant stress on a deep-lying region of the brain explains the increased risk of heart attack, a study in The Lancet suggests. In a study of 300 people, those with higher activity in the amygdala were more likely to develop cardiovascular disease – and sooner than others. Stress could be as important … Read more