Weekend excesses linked to most internet health searches on a Monday

Following a heavy weekend of boozing and feasting on fatty takeaway food, it is only natural to be more worried about our health come Monday, as the realisation of our excesses starts to hit home.

Therefore, it should come as little surprise to learn that new research has shown that Google searches for a variety of health concerns actually peak on the first working day of the week and again are still quite high the following day on Tuesday.

However, psychologists at San Diego State University say that as the week progresses on, our health worries seem to subside considerably in comparison to Monday and Tuesday.

According to calculations, there are an incredible 160 million health-related searches on Google alone each and every day of the year. Researchers at the University decided to investigate any potential link between peak times of health concerns and sickness patterns each week.

For instance, there have been studies that demonstrate a spike in heart attack rates on a Monday. Binge drinking at the weekend is added to the stress of going back to work on a Monday, creating unneeded strain on the heart.

Meanwhile, other evidence points to Wednesday being our most miserable-feeling day of the week – perhaps because it is right in the middle of the week and furthest away from the weekend!

The American team painstakingly assessed each health related search that was conducted on Google 2005 and 2012. Once the data was broken down into a percentage of overall search volume, it was discovered that health searches on Monday and Tuesday were 30% higher than the rest of the week combined.

Studying further, the team found the number of searches dropped slightly on Wednesdays, by 3%, before falling 15% on Thursdays, nearly by a half on Fridays and then plunging by around 80% on Saturdays.

Our health worries seem to increase by Sunday – possibly as many are nursing a hangover – before peaking on Monday. In an accompanying report, the researchers say their analysis corroborate with past studies showing that high blood pressure, heart attacks, strokes and infectious conditions all peak at the beginning of the week. This is often referred to as circaseptan rhythms.

In their report, the researchers say one theory is that Monday is ‘akin to a mini New Year’s day’, whereby weekend excesses result in more need to seek health information.

They add: “Poor health choices during the weekend may promote a desire to cleanse come Monday. There is strong potential for improving public health.  Health promotion campaigns could immediately be made more cost effective by targeting the population early in the week rather than uniformly across the week.”

Bedtime aspirin could cut morning heart attack risk

The best time to take an aspirin to reduce the risk of suffering a heart attack when you wake up is at night prior to going to sleep, according to researchers involved in a new study.

Low-dose aspirin tablets are taken daily by millions of Brits who are high-risk of heart disease or other heart events as aspirin is effective at thinning the blood; meaning it is less likely to form a deadly clot.

A trial comprising of 290 heart patients found that it was more effective to take a 100mg aspirin tablet prior to going to bed instead of first thing in the morning.

The 290 participants were told to take the low-dose aspirin each morning for a duration of three months, followed by three months of taking the tablet at bedtime. Each person was monitored after each block of three months for their blood pressure and platelet levels.

Blood pressure did not seem to change according to what time the aspirin was taken, but the painkiller did manage to reduce platelet activity (a risk factor for heart attack).

Platelets are small, irregular-shaped cells that are present in the blood and form clots to prevent bleeding; for example stopping the blood flow from a wound.

However, platelet activity is usually at its highest during the morning which means you have a much bigger chance of having a heart attack either shortly prior to or shortly after waking up in the morning.

Previous studies have shown heart attacks are more common, in addition to more severe, at between 6am and midday, with up to 20% more damage to hearts during these hours.

Annually in the UK there are an estimated 103,000 people who suffer a heart attack and around 1.3 million live in the UK currently after having previously experienced one.

As previous studies have shown aspirin can reduce the risk by 10 per cent, many people who suffer with a heart attack are often advised to take a daily low-dose tablet.

Aspirin makes it more difficult for platelets to join together to form clots, as discovered in the findings by researchers at the Leiden University Medical Centre in the Netherlands, demonstrating that taking an aspirin before bedtime may help to reduce this peak period for platelet activity.

If taken before bedtime, the researchers found that aspirin could help to bring down platelet levels by up to 22 units.

Lead researcher Dr Tobias Bonten, of Leiden University Medical Centre in the Netherlands, said: “This simple intervention – switching aspirin intake from morning to bedtime – could be beneficial for the millions of patients with heart disease who take aspirin on a daily basis.”

Some British health experts stress you should not purely act on the basis on this study however.

Maureen Talbot, from the British Heart Foundation, said: “We know aspirin can be vital in reducing the risk of heart attack and stroke. Research into the best time to take a daily dose of aspirin is an interesting idea, but we would need to see much larger and longer studies before a change in practice can be recommended. For now, keep taking your daily aspirin as recommended by your doctor. If you have any concerns about your medication, talk it through with your GP.”

South London stroke rates drop by 40% since 1995, statins credited

A new study has found that the incidence of strokes in a large area of South London has declined by more than a third during the 15 years between 1995 and 2010.

Researchers from King’s College in London say that the number of people suffering from strokes has fell by 39.5% in that time period in the area. Incidence of strokes was calculated at 247 per 100,000 people in 1995, however it was only 149.5 per 100,000 in 2010.

Approximately 152,000 people each year in the United Kingdom suffer from a stroke. There are two main types of stroke – ischaemic and haemorrhagic. The former accounts for a staggering 80% of all cases of stroke. An ischaemic stroke occurs when blood flow to the brain is prevented by either a blood clot or clump of fat. There is a high risk of a blood clot if your arteries have narrowed and clogged with fatty deposits; known as atherosclerosis. Major risk factors for atherosclerosis include smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity, diabetes and a family history of heart disease or stroke.

A haemorrhagic type of stroke is brought on due a weakened blood vessel supplying the brain rupturing and resulting in bleeding into the surrounding brain and brain damage. Two types of weakened blood vessels will typically cause a haemorrhagic stroke: aneurysms and arteriovenous malformations (AVMs).

The researchers involved in the new study say the decline may be attributed to more people adopting a healthier lifestyle and the positive effects of cholesterol-lowering medications (statins), such as Lipitor (Atorvastatin) and Crestor (Rosuvastatin). Both drugs work to lower LDL, or “bad” cholesterol, and raise patients’ good HDL levels. It is estimated that statins are currently prescribed to an incredible 7 million in the United Kingdom – around a tenth of the population.

The team from King’s College looked at data extracted from the South London Stroke register, a database that covers an area with over 350,000 people in.

They found that rates of stroke incidence generally had fallen in men, women, white patients and those over the age of 45. However, similar declines in rates were not evident in those aged 15 to 44, or black patients, according to the researchers.

“We observed a higher prevalence of hypertension and diabetes mellitus in black patients compared with white patients in each of the four time periods in all age groups,” they commented.

“Other possible explanations for ethnic disparities include cultural differences in perceptions of health and the health care system, environmental exposures, genetic factors, socioeconomic status, and educational attainment.”

Professsor Graham MacGregor, chairman of charity Blood Pressure UK, said advances in medical knowledge had resulted in much more effective treatments being available for patients.

“We’ve got better blood pressure drugs and they are used more effectively. In the past GPs would prescribe one drug. We now know they work more effectively in combination, and they are often more acceptable to patients, with fewer side effects, so they take them and don’t leave them in the medicines cupboard. Statins cut the risk of stroke by 30 to 40 per cent so they have also played a part, but we need to do more.”

Dr Madina Kara, researcher at the Stroke Association, was clearly delighted with the findings from the study. She said: “It’s encouraging to see such a striking reduction in the number of people having a stroke in the past 16 years. Public health campaigns around the risk factors for stroke, such as high blood pressure and smoking are helping people to take control of their health and reduce their risk of stroke. This reduction, however, is not being mirrored in those under 45 years old, and the black population, where the incidence of stroke remains high.”

She also explained why certain sectors of the population could be more at risk compared to others. “We know that the African-Caribbean community are at greater risk of sickle cell disease, diabetes and high blood pressure – conditions that can lead to stroke. This means they are twice as likely to have a stroke compared to the white population. In addition, haemorrhagic stroke, caused by bleeding within or around the brain, is more common in younger adults,” she said.

Dr Kara added: “Stroke changes lives in an instant and can have a devastating physical and emotional impact on not only the stroke survivor, but their family and carers as well. To help reduce stroke across the whole population, we all need to take steps to reduce our risk.”

Lack of sleep may be dangerous for the heart

Scientists claim that getting less than seven hours of sleep per night could lead to fatal heart attacks and cardiovascular disease (CVD), and getting enough sleep could just as beneficial as not smoking with regards to heart problems.

The claims come from a study published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology. Researchers in the Netherlands analysed the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease and stroke for over 14,000 men and women in their 20s over a 12-year period.

There were four lifestyle factors that were identified as being ‘positive’ – engaging in exercise, adhering to a healthy diet, only drinking alcohol in moderation, and not smoking. On top of these four key factors, the team of researchers wondered if sleep was also similarly important.

By the end of the study, it was found that the participants who had stuck to all four healthy factors  were actually at a 57% reduced risk of developing cardiovascular disease and had a 67% lower risk of death from events such as suffering a heart attack.

Interestingly, sufficient sleep was found to boost these figures even more. Researchers discovered that with seven or more hours of sleep each night increased the benefit of these  healthy behaviours; now standing at a 65% lower risk of cardiovascular disease  and 83% lower risk of fatal events from occurring.

The researchers state that previous studies have demonstrated a connection between insufficient/poor sleeping habits and cardiovascular disease, however theirs is the first to analyse if sleep – in addition to the other four healthy lifestyle factors – can help to decrease a person’s risk even more.

“If all participants adhered to all five healthy lifestyle factors, 36% of composite cardiovascular disease [heart disease or stroke] and 57% of fatal cardiovascular disease could theoretically be prevented or postponed,” say the researchers, from the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, and Wageningen University.

They added: “The public health impact of sufficient sleep duration, in addition to the traditional healthy lifestyle factors, could be substantial,” whilst Lead researcher Dr Monique Verschuren commented: “The importance of sleep should now be mentioned as an additional way to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.”

However, before this study causes panic, Doireann Maddock, of the British Heart Foundation, alleviated worries to some extent and says: “This research shows combining a good night’s sleep with other healthy lifestyle choices can reduce your risk of heart disease. But troubled sleepers should not be alarmed – this study doesn’t mean sleepless nights cause heart disease.”

Statins may almost halve the risk of developing liver cancer

Cholesterol-busting statins such as Crestor (Rosuvastatin) and Lipitor (Atorvastatin) are currently prescribed to nearly a tenth (7 million) of the population in the United Kingdom, working their magic by raising good/protective cholesterol (HDL) and lowering bad cholesterol (LDL) and triglycerides. The higher your cholesterol level, the higher the chance of you suffering from a stroke or heart disease and thus increasing the overall risk of having a heart attack due to your arteries being clogged up with the fat-like substance known as cholesterol.

Health experts are continuously exploring the potential of statins though and already in the calendar year it has been found they could be beneficial for asthma sufferers, have been linked to a reduction in stroke occurrences and evidence suggest that even the healthier ones among us may reap rewards from taking them.

Amazingly, yet another study has emerged that shows their mind-boggling potential. This time, it is experts from the University of Milan who have decided to spend time to analyse the health boost that statins can bring-about, and they claim that a daily dose of cholesterol-busters can slash the risk of developing fatal liver cancer.

Researchers at the University collated information from a number of past studies that had focused on both statins and liver tumours. This kind of review of data is referred to as a ‘meta-analysis’ and is generally thought to be more accurate than other methods of analysis as it is collecting together results from a large number of studies in order to reach a more definitive conclusion on a particular medications effectiveness; in this case it is statins.

Their analysis looked at findings from five previous studies and uncovered that by taking statins on a regular basis, that person’s risk of developing a tumour was dramatically cut by an incredible 42% when compared against those who were not taking any form of statin medication.
This may now reinforce the argument of many health experts who have been calling for all people over the age of 50 to be prescribed statins to help stop a wide range of chronic and potentially fatal conditions, even if they are in the ‘low-risk’ category.

It is still not certain specifically how the statins work at offering a barrier against the formation of a liver tumour, and more work may need to be done in the future. In their report, published in the European Journal of Cancer Prevention, the Italian researchers commented: “Liver cancer is the third leading cause of cancer mortality and its rates have recently been increasing in central and northern Europe. This analysis suggests a favourable effect of statins on the disease.”

After seeing the report, Dr Safia Danovi, Cancer Research UK’s senior science information officer, gave his opinions and said: “This is interesting work but it doesn’t mean that cancer patients should start reaching for cholesterol-lowering drugs. Scientists, including our own, are asking whether statins could be used to treat cancer but we’re still a long way from a clear answer.”

Heavy smokers are at risk of a fatal brain bleed

Medical Specialists Pharmacy has been the bearer of bad news for smokers numerous times this year already; with more and more compelling scientific evidence and studies to emerge that prove just how dangerous tobacco smoke is for your health. It is probably for these reasons that we are experiencing a massive demand for the smoking cessation medication Champix, and this shows no signs of slowing down in the future.

To add to the misery for smokers around the world, we must now report on more risks that come from lighting up a cigarette. In fact, smoking more than 20 of them each day may almost triple your chance of suffering a potentially deadly brain haemorrhage, research suggests.

Korean researchers led by Dr Chi Kyung Kim, from Seoul National University Hospital, studied 426 episodes of subarachnoid haemorrhage (brain bleeds)  from 33 different hospitals across Korea in a two year period, between 2002 and 2004.

A subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH) is usually a very sudden and painful headache caused by a burst in a weakened artery inside the brain. It is typically described as like ‘being hit on the head with a shovel’ by those unfortunate to experience one. They account for roughly one in 20 strokes in England and the main causes for them are thought to include smoking, long-term excessive alcohol intake and a family history of brain aneurysms. Chances of survival are limited at about 50%, but many patients are left with a varying degree of disability.

For the study at the Seoul National University Hospital, Dr Kim and his colleagues contrasted the 426 patients against the same number of people who had not suffered a brain bleed in those two years, with age and sex identical for each person. The average age for the subjects was 50 and the researchers analysed medical history, lifestyle and smoking habits for everybody.

Results of the study will no doubt raise many eyebrows and paint a further damning portrait into the damage that cigarettes do to the human body. In the group who had suffered from a brain bleed, the number of smokers was determined to be much greater, together with the proportions of those with a family history of stroke and blood pressure problems.

Nearly 38% of those in the brain bleed group were current smokers, compared with 25% in the other group. The researchers study suggests that by not smoking for at least five years results in a massive reduction in overall risk, dropping to 59%. However, those with a history of smoking over 20 cigarettes each day were still approximately 2.3 times more likely to suffer an SAH compared to people who have never smoked.

Dr Kim and his team presented their findings in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry, and said, “We have demonstrated that cigarette smoking increases the risk of SAH, but smoking cessation decreases the risk in a time dependent manner, although this beneficial effect may be diminished in heavy smokers. To forestall tragic SAH events, our results call for more global and vigorous efforts for people to stop smoking.”