In an effort to determine how OSA affected heart health, researchers enrolled 1,927 men and 2,495 women with no record of cardiovascular problems into a study. Participants were then categorized by their sleeping habits, including severe apnea, which was linked to breathing interruptions longer than 10 seconds that occurred approximately 30 times per hour.

The results of the trial showed that men aged 40 to 70 years who had OSA had a much higher risk of suffering from coronary heart disease. However, the researchers found no connection between the sleeping disorder and heart problems in women.

Daniel J. Gottlieb, lead author of the study, stated that "the take-away from our study is that obstructive sleep apnea is a serious condition that warrants medical treatment." He added that "it’s important for anyone who suspects they have obstructive sleep apnea to discuss it with their primary care physician."

Coronary heart disease is the most common form of the illness, and in 2005, approximately 445,687 Americans died from the disease, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

For this study, researchers enrolled a total of 693 women aged 45 to 84 who already had begun experiencing menopause. Approximately 28 percent of the participants reported that they began the condition before the age of 46, which is defined as early menopause.

During a series of follow-ups, investigators monitored patients who had suffered from different forms of heart complications, including heart attacks, strokes, chest pain or cardiovascular-related death.

The results of the study found that women aged 55 years and older didn’t experience any of the health problems, but participants who had experienced early menopause were more than twice as likely to suffer from cardiovascular disease.

"It is important for women to know that early menopause is a potential risk factor for cardiovascular disease—the number one killer of American women," said Melissa Wellons, a fellow at the University of Alabama in Birmingham (UAB). She added that "they can then work harder to improve their modifiable risk factors, such as high cholesterol and blood pressure, by exercising and following a healthy diet."

More than one out of every three women in the United States have suffered from some form of cardiovascular disease, according to the American Heart Association (AHA).

The most common technique to do so is with a stethoscope, which allows healthcare professionals to determine if an individual has developed a S3. This acronym refers to an irregular sound in the heart’s rhythm, which can be a sign of cardiovascular disease or failure of the organ.

However, the low frequency of this pitch leaves many patients misdiagnosed. In order to improve heart failure diagnosis, researchers analyzed the results of using the Heart failure and Audicor technology for Rapid Diagnosis and Initial Treatment (HEARD-IT) at nine different emergency rooms.

The team found that physicians who used the enhanced medical equipment were 22 percent more likely to diagnose a patient with heart failure. Also, individuals in need of treatment for cardiovascular complications were able to receive more extensive treatments faster.

Sean Collins, lead author of the trial, stated that these findings prove that "we need to get better at listening for the S3, and this study would suggest that if we don’t hear it with our ears, that technology like this might be useful."

Individuals who would like to improve their heart health and prevent cardiovascular disease should consider exercising and supplementing their diet with omega-3 fatty acids.

During a recent study, researchers divided 40 participants aged 10 to 14 years into two groups. One group sat in a chair while viewing images of a neighborhood and school grounds, while the others completed a one-mile walk while viewing similar images.

Students were then asked to take a Stroop test, which has participants identify colors in several colored boxes.

While completing this task, the walkers’ heart rate increased by 3 beats per minute, while the sitting group experienced an increase of 11 beats. Researchers also discovered that the sitters had a blood pressure that was three times higher than those who did the one-mile walk.

James Roemmich, lead author of the trial, stated that "the cardiovascular disease process begins in childhood, so if we can find some way of stopping or slowing that process, that would provide an important health benefit." He added that these findings show that "physical activity has a protective effect on the development of cardiovascular disease, and one way it may be doing so is by reducing stress reactivity."

In 2008, approximately 26.6 million people in the U.S. were diagnosed with heart disease, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports.

In an effort to determine the effects of the mental illnesses on heart health, two groups of researchers observed two groups of people who had been diagnosed with at least one form of anxiety disorder.

During the first trial, investigators examined information collected from the medical records of approximately 250,000 people over a 20-year span. The team discovered that people who had developed anxiety during the time span were 26 percent more likely to be diagnosed with coronary heart disease and had a 48 percent higher risk of dying due to cardiovascular complications.

The investigators who conducted the second study observed 50,000 men aged 18 to 20 years who had served in the military and found that individuals who were diagnosed with anxiety were twice as likely to suffer from coronary blockages or heart attacks, the website reported.

Both teams of researchers concluded that while psychological disorders can have stressful effects on the heart, further research is necessary in order to determine ways to alleviate the damage that can lead to cardiovascular complications.

In 2006, approximately 11.3 percent of the United States population was diagnosed with anxiety-related disorders, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

During a 20-year study conducted at the University of California in San Francisco, more than 3,200 individuals aged 18 to 30 years had their cholesterol measured. The researchers also examined each participant’s coronary artery calcium, which is plaque that accumulates in the arteries, by using CT scans.

The team discovered that those who recorded unhealthy levels of bad cholesterol in their bodies also suffered from an increase in coronary calcium, which is a cause of coronary heart disease. The results of the study also showed that the longer a person suffered increased measurements of bad cholesterol, the more likely they were to be diagnosed with related cardiovascular problems.

"We don’t usually worry too much about heart disease risk until a person is in middle age because it’s rare to have a heart attack in young adulthood," said Mark J. Pletcher, lead author of the trial. He added that "however, our evidence shows that young adulthood is an important time because lasting damage already starts to accumulate at this age."

One of the most common heart problems, coronary heart disease was the cause of more 445,000 deaths in the U.S. during 2005, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

During a five-year study, researchers monitored the risk of suffering fractures in more than 690 men with an average age of 72 years. Over the course of four years of follow-ups, the investigators discovered that a total of 100 participants suffered from at least one type of heart disease, such as a heart attack.

After taking blood samples from each of these individuals, the team found that all of these patients had naturally high testosterone levels. In fact, men with the highest amount of the hormone in their blood were twice as likely to suffer from heart disease.

The researchers concluded that despite the need for further research, they were able to confirm that these findings proved that after 65 years of age, men with high testosterone levels are at a higher risk of developing a cardiovascular-related health problem.

In 2006, a total of 398,563 men in the United States died from a form of cardiovascular disease, according to the American Heart Association (AHA).

In order to determine the effects of a vitamin D deficiency on heart health, investigators asked 44 black teens to take either 400 or 2,0000 international units (IU) daily for 16 weeks. The researchers then measured the arterial stiffness of each participant using pulse wave velocity, which monitors a person’s pulse.

The team discovered that individuals with a higher intake of vitamin D showed fewer signs of arterial stiffness and had better cardiovascular health. However, teenagers who took the lower amount of vitamin D suffered from the artery problem, and were more likely to develop heart disease or suffer a stroke.

This trial is "the first clinical trial of vitamin D intervention to use 2,000 IU in black subjects and to include cardiovascular risk factors as outcomes in youth," stated Yanbin Dong, lead author of the study. He added that these results show that "the current recommendations for vitamin D intake in black teenagers may need to be revised upward."

In addition to vitamin D supplements, people who want to find other natural sources of the nutrient can add milk, eggs and salmon to their diet, the University of Maryland Medical Center reports.

In an effort to determine how anxiety may affect people with heart problems, investigators examined more than 1,000 patients who had been diagnosed with coronary heart disease. The team conducted a series of tests on the participants, took both blood and urine samples, and interviewed each individual.

Following approximately six years of follow-ups, 371 of the patients suffered some form of cardiovascular complications. Of the people who developed the health problems, 9.6 percent had anxiety disorders, while 6.6 percent were free of these psychological problems.

Also, the team discovered that patients with the disorders were 74 percent more likely to suffer a stroke, heart attack, heart failure and death.

The authors of the study concluded that "generalized anxiety disorder may be considered a prognostic factor in patients with coronary heart disease and could be used in risk stratification." They added that "evaluation and treatment of anxiety may also be considered as part of the comprehensive management of patients with coronary heart disease."

In addition to monitoring anxiety disorders, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that coronary heart disease patients lower both their cholesterol and blood pressure levels in order to avoid further cardiovascular complications.

During a recent study, researchers had a total of 70 patients in a hypertension clinic take either supplements containing antioxidants or a placebo over the course of six months. At the beginning of the trial and at the three- and six-month marker, the team conducted several cardiovascular tests on each participant.

The results of the trial showed that individuals who had been given the antioxidant capsule had more elastic arteries, which is a sign of improved heart health. Also, the investigators discovered that these patients had better blood sugar and cholesterol levels than those who took the placebo.

Reuven Zimlichman, lead author of the study, stated that "antioxidant supplementation significantly increased large and small artery elasticity in patients with multiple cardiovascular risk factors." He added that "this beneficial vascular effect was associated with an improvement in glucose and lipid metabolism as well as significant decrease in blood pressure."

In addition to antioxidants, increasing one’s intake of vitamin B can also lead to improved cardiovascular health, as a report published in Stroke: Journal of the American Heart showed that vitamin B-6 and folate can reduce the risk of stroke and heart disease in women.