Welcome to your weekly news round-up!
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in these articles are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of WHF or its leadership.
World Heart Federation
4.6 million lives could be saved by 2030
(World Heart Federation)
Last month, the Lancet NCDI Poverty Commission published a groundbreaking report on noncommunicable diseases and injuries (NCDIs) among the world’s poorest people. We spoke to lead authors Gene Bukhman and Ana Mocumbi to learn more about the report, the Commission, and their future goals.
COVID-19 & Global Health
How Covid-19 Has Turned the Spotlight Back on Obesity
(The Washington Post)
The prevalence of obesity has almost tripled in the past four decades and is still rising. Obese people have a higher risk of suffering complications or dying from Covid-19, while also being vulnerable to diabetes, heart disease, stroke and cancer.
Brain complications 'increasingly reported' in COVID patients with diabetes and hypertension
(Sky News)
Life-threatening complications including strokes and brain bleeds have been found in a significant number of coronavirus patients.
La deuxième vague met sous pression les autres services de maladies graves
(RTS)
La réorganisation des hôpitaux pour faire face à l'afflux des patients Covid n'est pas sans conséquence pour les autres services de maladies graves. C'est notamment le cas des services d'oncologie et de cardiologie du CHUV, qui sont mis sous pression.
Another dose of good news—what do the latest vaccine developments mean?
(The Economist)
Following promising results from Pfizer and Moderna, why is a third vaccine, from Oxford University and AstraZeneca, so important in the fight against covid-19?
UNICEF says to ship 2 billion COVID-19 vaccines to poor nations in 2021
(Thomson Reuters Foundation News)
UNICEF will work with over 350 airlines and freight companies to deliver nearly 2 billion COVID-19 vaccines to developing countries next year.
Hallan una nueva enfermedad cardiovascular en niños relacionada con la Covid-19
(La Razón Digital)
Puede provocar shock, arritmias cardíacas, derrame pericárdico y dilatación de las arterias coronarias.
Medical technology gives healthcare a shot in the arm
(Financial Times)
Coronavirus has killed hundreds of thousands of people and has strained health systems around the world, but for Tony Young there may be a patch of a silver lining. The pandemic is accelerating use of technology to radically advance medicine and save lives in the future.
Cardiovascular Disease
Act now to meet global heart disease targets
(European Society of Cardiology)
Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of mortality in Europe, and World Health Organization (WHO) heart disease goals will not be achieved by 2025 unless urgent action is taken.
Vitamin D, fish oil supplements don't benefit cardiovascular health, new study finds
(ABC News - Go.com)
For decades, doctors have been searching for a surefire way to prevent atrial fibrillation, an abnormal heart rhythm that can prove fatal. Now, a new, high-quality study has ruled out two possible contenders: vitamin D and fish oil supplements.
High blood pressure in midlife is linked to increased brain damage in later life
(European Society of Cardiology)
Higher than normal blood pressure is linked to more extensive brain damage in the elderly, according to a new study published on Thursday in the European Heart Journal.
Risk Factors
Every move counts towards better health – says WHO
(Bulletin of the World Health Organization)
At a time when many people are home bound due to COVID-19, new WHO Guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour, launched today, emphasize that everyone, of all ages and abilities, can be physically active and that every type of movement counts.
Less sedentary time reduces heart failure risk for older women
(American Heart Association)
The more waking hours older women spend sitting or lying down, the more likely they are to require hospitalization for heart failure.
The ‘Omics’ of Exercise
(The New York Times)
When we exercise, even for a few minutes, hundreds of molecules related to our metabolic health rise and fall in our bloodstreams.
For those with prediabetes, dropping four to six pounds can cut the risk of getting diabetes
(The Washington Post)
Modest lifestyle changes — increasing physical activity and losing about four to six pounds — cuts nearly in half the risk of someone progressing from prediabetes to full-blown Type 2 diabetes.
Brands call for alternatives to online junk food ads ban
(The Guardian)
Food and drink manufacturers have pleaded with the UK Prime Minister to meet them to discuss alternatives to far-reaching plans for a total ban on online junk food advertising.
The Risks of Another Epidemic: Teenage Vaping
(The New York Times)
“We’re stepping backward from all the advances we’ve made in tobacco control,” one investigator said.
Tackling atrial fibrillation: screening and awareness
(Politico)
Atrial fibrillation (AFib) is often asymptomatic, remaining undiagnosed until or even after development of complications. Improving screening and raising awareness of AFib and AFib-related stroke is critical for tackling this health issue.
Carbon dioxide levels keep rising despite industrial lockdown
(Al Jazeera English)
World Meteorological Organization data crush hopes that lockdowns across the world would have pushed emissions to a record low.