Even 'Hands-Free' Devices Unsafe While Driving: Report

They cause mental distraction that can lead to crashes, experts warn

By Steven Reinberg

HealthDay Reporter

WEDNESDAY, June 12 (HealthDay News) -- Drivers who think hands-free devices for talking or texting are safer than handheld cellphones are mistaken, a new report suggests.

Instead, devices such as speech-based technologies in cars can overload drivers, taking their attention from the road and making an accident more likely, experts say.

"Hands-free is not risk-free, even though three out of four motorists believe it is," said Peter Kissinger, president and CEO of the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. "We know now that devices like voice-detect or voice-to-email systems can create substantial mental distractions, which can lead to degradation of driving performance."

Each day in the United States, more than nine people are killed and more than 1,000 are injured in crashes that involve a distracted driver, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Brains aren't wired to multi-task, Kissinger said. "It's virtually impossible for the brain to do two complex things at the same time," he said.

Multi-tasking can lead to "inattention blindness," he said, which occurs when people are concentrating on one thing and don't see other things going on around them.

"You can literally look at something and not see it," he said. "We have seen that situation occur in the real world. We have seen people being engrossed in a cellphone conversation and run right through a red light and afterwards don't even remember seeing the red light."

Released Wednesday, the new report was prepared for AAA by researchers from the department of psychology at the University of Utah.

They tested drivers in a variety of ways with a range of distractions including listening to the radio, conversing with a passenger, talking on handheld phones and using hands-free devices. The researchers looked at reaction time, both in lab simulators and on the road, Kissinger said.

The researchers found that reaction time slows and brain function is compromised as mental workload and distractions increase. Drivers check the road less and miss cues that can result in not seeing things right in front of them, such as stop signs and pedestrians.

Behaviors like listening to the radio were a very mild mental distraction, which researchers classified as a level-one distraction, Kissinger said. Voice-activated technology, however, was very distracting at level three, which is considered the highest risk.

Another expert said inattentive driving existed before the era of electronic devices -- hands-free or otherwise.

"Distracted driving is a big problem on the road, but it has always been a big problem, even before cellphones and other electronic devices came along," said Russ Rader, a spokesman for the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. "Even so, researchers expected to see a wave of crashes as electronic devices proliferated, but the opposite is happening on the road: Police-reported crashes have been on the decline."

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John Mayer arrives at LAX Airport

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Baldness Drug Propecia May Put Some Men Off Alcohol: Study

Men with sexual side effects appear to drink less, even after they stop taking the drug

By Steven Reinberg

HealthDay Reporter

THURSDAY, June 13 (HealthDay News) -- Some men who use finasteride (Propecia) to help battle baldness may also be drinking less alcohol, a new study suggests.

Among the potential side effects of the hair-restoring drug are a reduced sex drive, depression and suicidal thoughts. And it's men who have sexual side effects who also appear to want to drink less, the researchers report.

"In men experiencing persistent sexual side effects despite stopping finasteride, two-thirds have noticed drinking less alcohol than before taking finasteride," said study author Dr. Michael Irwig, an assistant professor of medicine at George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences in Washington, D.C.

Although it isn't clear why the medication might have this effect, Irwig thinks the drug may alter the brain's chemistry.

"Finasteride interferes with the brain's ability to make certain hormones called neurosteroids, which are likely linked to drinking alcohol," he said.

"For younger men contemplating the use of finasteride for male pattern hair loss, they should carefully balance the modest cosmetic benefits of less hair loss versus some of the serious risks," Irwig said.

The report was published online June 13 in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research.

"The biggest challenge with this finding is that it is naturalistic rather than a controlled study so cause-and-effect is hard to establish," said James Garbutt, a professor of psychiatry at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. "This is more of a cloud on the horizon than a clear-cut effect."

If these findings are confirmed it suggests there may be a subgroup of people, perhaps identifiable by their experience of sexual side effects, who will experience reductions in alcohol consumption, said Garbutt, who was not involved with the study.

"Based on the consumption levels reported in the paper, this population would be considered social drinkers and not problem drinkers," he added.

It is unclear if these people will begin to drink more again once they have stopped taking the drug for a long enough period of time, Garbutt noted.

But he did note a potential silver lining in the finding.

"There is interest in the neuroactive steroid system for development of new medications for problem drinking -- this study offers some support for that idea," Garbutt said.

In addition, "this highlights the importance of being aware that any medication one takes has the potential to cause side effects and many side effects are not known for medications until years after they have been on the market," Garbutt added.

This study also points out that a medication may have an effect that is not obvious based on initial understanding of how the medication works, Garbutt explained.

"For finasteride, the relationship between metabolism of [the hormone] progesterone, the production of neurosteroids and the relationship of neurosteroids to alcohol actions and consumption is still being sorted out," he said.

For the study, Irwig interviewed 83 men who had persistent sexual side effects from using finasteride, even three months after they stopped using the drug.

Irwig also collected information on the participant's medical histories, sexual function and alcohol consumption before and after taking finasteride.

Of the 63 men who had at least one drink a week before using finasteride, 41 men (65 percent) reduced their alcohol consumption after stopping finasteride, Irwig found.

In addition, 20 men (32 percent) reported no change in their alcohol consumption and two men (3 percent) reported drinking more, Irwig said.

There have been reports of finasteride's ability to reduce alcohol consumption in rodents, but this is the first study to show this pattern in humans, he added.

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Spring Essentials All Under $20

Let's get real: All that space you're making in your closets as part of your spring cleaning scurry? Yeah, it'll turn into an excuse to buy new stuff. So ... let's start shopping!

The good news is that this season's top trends won't break the bank, especially if you stick to accessories and beauty products, like the ones we've uncovered for you in our 20 Under $20 guide. Neon belts, volumizing mascara, no-slip headbands: Spring, we're ready for you.

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Guideline Changes Have Asperger's Community on Edge

By Lisa Esposito
HealthDay Reporter

THURSDAY, April 18 (HealthDay News) -- People with Asperger's syndrome -- mild autism with normal or sometimes superior verbal ability and intelligence -- are at a crossroads: Their diagnosis is about to disappear.

In 1994, Asperger's was recognized as its own disorder in the fourth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-4). For some people, realizing that they fit into the Asperger's diagnosis was a "eureka" moment of sorts.

In mid-May, however, the American Psychiatric Association (APA) will unveil the latest edition of the diagnostic manual. In the DSM-5, the Asperger's term will not exist -- and many people with Asperger's are upset.

Hallmark symptoms -- significant impairment in work and social functioning, inability to understand nonverbal communication, repetitive behaviors and restricted routines -- will be folded into the term "autism spectrum disorders," ranging from the mildest to most severe autism.

The APA says that with the change, diagnosis will become more accurate and consistent.

"The intent was that it would make diagnosis more straightforward," said Catherine Lord, a member of the APA group that updated the diagnoses. "They're not necessarily different disorders because, at least biologically, nobody can differentiate Asperger's from autism."

"One of the good things that the idea of Asperger's syndrome did was make people aware that somebody can have quite significant social deficits but be a very intelligent person," said Lord, director of the Center for Autism and the Developing Brain at New York-Presbyterian Hospital. "The goal of our committee is not to lose those people but to say they can be recognized within this broader concept of autism spectrum disorders."

But many with Asperger's believe they will fall off the spectrum and lose access to needed services. And they fear that their very identity is at stake.

Some people with Asperger's syndrome "formed their first identity of normality within the group," said Liane Holliday Willey, senior editor of the Autism Spectrum Quarterly and an autism consultant in Grand Rapids, Mich. She has Asperger's.

So does Brian King, an Illinois-based relationship coach and licensed clinical social worker. With the change, he said, "people who have embraced the Asperger's label are now thinking, 'I have an Asperger's support group. I call myself an Aspie. If you take that from me, who am I?'"

It's not clear how many people have Asperger's. Estimates vary anywhere from three in every 1,000 to one in every 200 people. But experts say the impact of the change will be widespread.

In the United States, DSM diagnoses are closely aligned with health insurance billing. Internationally, governments and social agencies use the manual to approve funding for services and research.

"[The DSM] has repercussions throughout the world, especially the English-speaking world," said Tony Attwood, an adjunct professor at the Minds & Hearts clinic in Brisbane, Australia.

"I think the banning of the term Asperger's syndrome is too premature," Attwood said. "They're very upset [in Australia]. So they have to explain to, for example, employers, that they are now to be called autistic and have mild autism."

In October, APA member Lord published a study that found only about 10 percent of children would lose their autism diagnosis under the new criteria. Attwood, however, said estimates of people who will lose funding eligibility range anywhere from 10 percent to 75 percent.

King said people who are not obviously struggling may lose out.

"If there is some kid in college who's an intellectual juggernaut -- they can pass socially, who can think his or her way through social situations -- but is so in need of services on campus, in need of accommodations, that's the person I'm worried about," King said. "The one who, underneath it all, is suffering, but is so good at passing that they're off the radar of a lot of diagnosticians."

For children with Asperger's, early intervention, which includes parent training, is considered ideal. One question is whether early intervention will be easier or harder to obtain under the new criteria.

"In California, for example, if you have an Asperger's diagnosis, you are not eligible for the autism services as a young child," Lord said. But Attwood said he's concerned that with the change, "parents may not be eligible for early intervention services before the child goes to school."

Lord said a family "must be ready if they meet someone who doesn't understand the new criteria to be able to say, 'Look, one principle is a lack of social reciprocity. And even though my son is 12 years old and very bright and does go to school and does love his teacher and does take turns well, he still really struggles with ... understanding what a friend is even though he has play dates and does do things.'"

Eric Lipshaw, 21, a student at Oakland University in Rochester, Mich., is "110 percent" against the diagnosis change.

"I get disability support services, assistance on campus," Lipshaw said. "They give me a scribe for my handwriting -- that's illegible. They have note-takers and anything else we need."

Some job seekers with Asperger's turn to agencies that specialize in people with disabilities. Other adults need social security benefits or residential services. Some will lose these services along with the Asperger's diagnosis, Attwood said.

Karen Rodman, president and founder of Families of Adults Affected with Asperger's Syndrome, said although the Asperger's listing in DSM-4 was inadequate it was better than not using the term at all.

Rodman, whose husband has Asperger's and Tourette syndrome, said people with the diagnosis and their family caregivers already have unmet needs for assistance that will only get worse with the change.

One undercurrent in the debate has been the suspicion that the change was made to cut costs. Attwood and King both said that although that might or might not have been an intention, it will be an effect.

"The medical insurance companies and other agencies will save money," Attwood said. "I can't say that this has been the driving force of the change; all I know is that this is the highly probable outcome. With fewer people being diagnosed, it's going to be less expensive for the agencies that support such individuals -- either government or private."

Some people with Asperger's may fit under "social communication disorder" in the new DSM-5.

The manual also is adding "sensory sensitivity" to the autism spectrum criterion. This involves extreme sensitivity to a person's environment, including the touch of other people, the sensation of the clothing they wear, and sights, smells and sounds around them. Attwood praised this addition.

"The ultimate impact of the DSM is going to be wait-and-see," King said. "It's a guideline, not an absolute end-all and be-all of how to treat this. A clinician can use their own judgment based on their own experience."

Copyright © 2013 HealthDay. All rights reserved. SOURCES: Catherine Lord, Ph.D., director, Center for Autism and the Developing Brain, New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical College, New York City; Liane Holliday Willey, senior editor, Autism Spectrum Quarterly, and autism consultant, Grand Rapids, Mich.; Brian R. King, L.C.S.W., relationship coach, Illinois; Tony Attwood, adjunct professor, Minds & Hearts Clinic, Brisbane, Australia; Eric Lipshaw, college student, Oakland University, Rochester, Mich.; Karen Rodman, president and founder, Families of Adults Affected With Asperger's Syndrome

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Supreme Court Rules That Human Genes Can't Be Patented

Decision should have profound impact on medicine, gene-testing industry

By EJ Mundell

HealthDay Reporter

THURSDAY, June 13 (HealthDay News) -- In a decision that could have far-reaching implications for medicine, the U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday ruled that human genes cannot be patented.

The ruling could be a blow to drug companies such as Myriad Genetics, whose effort to patent an isolated form of a gene that might foretell cancer risk was at the center of the case. The high court decided that, unlike drugs or medical devices, human genes are not "created" by companies and therefore cannot be patented, USA Today reported.

"Myriad did not create anything," Justice Clarence Thomas wrote in the unanimous decision. "To be sure, it found an important and useful gene, but separating that gene from its surrounding genetic material is not an act of invention."

Still, the justices did say that Myriad or companies like it might be able to patent forms of DNA that were not simply extracted from genes taken from the human body.

According to USA Today, the judges' nine-to-zero decision was in line with past decisions that have ruled that forces of nature are not patent-eligible, while products of human invention are.

The decision may have a profound impact on the bottom line of companies that sell genetic tests. According to USA Today, more than 40,000 patents linked to genetic material have been issued by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office since 1984. Myriad's gene tests for breast and ovarian cancer risk have been used by almost 1 million women since the late 1990s.

But the newspaper noted that these tests aren't cheap: it costs $3,340 for the breast cancer gene analysis, for example.

As is usual in cases over patents, Myriad and industry representatives have long argued that losing patent protection would lead to less investment in research and development.

On the other side, doctors and patient advocacy groups say loss of patent protection for gene-based products would free up competition, drive prices down and lead to more research and development, not less.

In a statement released earlier this week, the National Society of Genetic Counselors, argued against the patenting of genes.

"Exclusive licenses on patents create barriers that could stifle the development of innovative tests by restricting the access of researchers to gene sequences," the group said, "or requiring researchers to pay exorbitant licensure costs that will ultimately be passed on to the consumer."

An advocacy group for patients with ovarian cancer agreed.

"Many women we work with are concerned about their genetic risk of developing ovarian cancer, especially in the wake of Angelina's Jolie's announcement that she carries the BRCA1 mutation," Calaneet Balas, CEO of the Ovarian Cancer National Alliance, said in a statement. "Myriad's patent limited women's options for learning about their genetic risk."

The Supreme Court agreed that a gene is a preexisting entity that is not subject to patent.

"In isolation, it has no value, it's just nature sitting there," Justice Sonia Sotamayor said, USA Today reported.

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'Western' Diet Not the Way to Age Well

British study says fried foods and red meat lead to premature aging, illness

By Robert Preidt

HealthDay Reporter

WEDNESDAY, April 17 (HealthDay News) -- A new British study provides further evidence that eating a so-called "Western" diet may not be good for you in the long run.

People who eat this kind of diet -- which includes fried and sweet foods, processed and red meat, refined grains and high-fat dairy products -- are at increased risk for premature death. And those who do make it to old age are less likely to be in good health when they get there, the researchers said.

The study included nearly 3,800 men and 1,600 women in Britain, with an average age of 51, who were followed from 1985 to 2009. By the end of that time, 73 percent of the participants had experienced normal aging and 4 percent had undergone ideal aging, which is defined as free of chronic conditions with high scores on tests of physical and mental abilities.

During the follow-up period, 13 percent of the participants had a nonfatal cardiovascular event, 3 percent died from heart-related causes and 7 percent died from other causes, according to the research, which was published in the May issue of The American Journal of Medicine.

Those who ate a Western diet were less likely to have ideal aging, lead investigator Tasnime Akbaraly of INSERM, a biomedical and public health research institution in Montpelier, France, said in a journal news release.

"We showed that following specific dietary recommendations ... may be useful in reducing the risk of unhealthy aging, while avoidance of the Western-type foods might actually improve the possibility of achieving older ages free of chronic diseases and remaining highly functional," Akbaraly said in a journal news release.

"A better understanding of the distinction between specific health behaviors that offer protection against diseases and those that move individuals toward ideal aging may facilitate improvements in public health prevention packages," Akbaraly added.

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Medicine Might Help Shield Injection Drug Abusers From HIV

Study found 70 percent drop in new infections among addicts who adhered closely to tenofovir treatment

By Robert Preidt

HealthDay Reporter

WEDNESDAY, June 12 (HealthDay News) -- An antiviral drug may help protect injection drug users from HIV infection, a new study finds.

The study of more than 2,400 injection drug users recruited at 17 drug treatment clinics in Thailand found that daily tablets of tenofovir reduced the risk of HIV infection by nearly 49 percent, compared to inactive placebo pills.

One expert said an intervention to help shield injection drug users from HIV -- the virus that causes AIDS -- is much needed.

"This is an important study that opens up an additional option for preventing HIV in a hard-to-reach population," said Dr. Joseph McGowan, medical director at the Center for AIDS Research & Treatment at North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset, N.Y.

He noted that "HIV infections continue to occur at high rates, with over 2.5 million worldwide and 50,000 new infections in the U.S. each year. This is despite widespread knowledge about HIV infection and the way it is spread, through unprotected sex and sharing needles for injecting drugs."

The participants included in the new study were followed for an average of four years. During that time, 17 of the more than 1,200 patients taking tenofovir became infected with HIV, compared with 33 of an equal number of patients taking a placebo, according to the study published online June 12 in The Lancet.

Further analyses of the results showed that the protective effect of tenofovir was highest among those who most closely followed the drug's prescribed regimen. In this group, the risk of HIV infection was reduced by more than 70 percent, said study leaders Dr. Kachit Choopanya and Dr. Michael Martin, chief of clinical research for the Thailand Ministry of Public Health--U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Collaboration.

Prior research has shown that preventive use of antiviral drugs cuts the risk of sexual transmission of HIV in both heterosexual couples and men who have sex with men, and also reduces mother-to-child transmission of HIV. But this is the first study to show that this approach might also be effective among injection drug users.

Worldwide, injection drug use is believed to cause one in 10 new HIV infections. But rates of infection associated with injection drug use are far higher in some areas of the world, such as eastern Europe and central Asia. In these regions, up to 80 percent of new HIV infections are caused by injection drug use.

According to McGowan, tenofovir is no "silver bullet" that would, on its own, eliminate the risk of HIV infection for drug abusers. But it could be a key ingredient in reducing the odds.

"Adoption of this strategy, not as a stand-alone, but in conjunction with needle exchange, counseling, opiate substitution, social support and mental health therapy may enable us to get ahead of this expanding epidemic," McGowan said.

He added that the participants in the study were also provided with what's known as "directly observed therapy," where the drug is administered under the observance of a health care worker. Services like this, along with monthly HIV testing and condom distribution, might not occur in "real life" treatment situations, McGowan said, so outcomes might not be as good as in this clinical trial.

Another expert agreed that adherence to tenofovir therapy is key to success.

Tenofovir "accumulates slowly [in the body], making the case for adherence -- which is strongly associated with the efficacy of the drug," said Victoria Richards, assistant professor of medical sciences at the Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine at Quinnipiac University, in Hamden, Conn.

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A heavenly scent by MICHAEL KORS

This signature fragrance by MICHAEL KORS is heaven in a bottle, a really beautiful bottle!

If the thought of sensuous spices mixed together with gorgeous floral tones sounds like the scent for you, then waste no time in spritzing yourself with this fragrance!

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Will New Gout Findings Get a Toehold?

Flare-ups most likely if condition starts in joints such as knee or elbow, researchers say

By Robert Preidt

HealthDay Reporter

WEDNESDAY, June 12 (HealthDay News) -- The big toe is not the biggest culprit in gout flare-ups, contrary to popular belief, a new study reports.

Researchers from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., found that people with the highest risk of repeated cases of gout are those whose gout first appears in other joints, such as the knee or elbow, rather than in the joints of the big toe.

Gout is a painful form of arthritis caused by uric acid buildup in the body. Continuing to take medication is essential to prevent recurrences, the researchers said.

"Because patients often think that a gout flare-up means their medications are not working, they may stop medications like allopurinol. It is especially important for these patients to continue taking gout medication to prevent flare-ups," study co-author Dr. Eric Matteson, rheumatology chair, said in a Mayo news release.

The study was scheduled for presentation at the annual meeting of the European League Against Rheumatism, June 12 to 15, in Madrid.

Researchers followed 46 gout patients for about 13 years on average. Their first gout attack occurred at an average age of 66.

Mayo researchers presented other studies at the meeting. Among those findings:

Black American lupus patients with certain autoantibodies (anti-RNA-binding protein autoantibodies) have higher levels of interferon, a protein involved in inflammation. The finding may explain why black Americans have worse lupus than whites and could lead to improved treatments, the researchers say.Rheumatoid arthritis patients have greater changes in their systolic blood pressure (the top number of a blood pressure measurement) from one health care visit to another than people without the disease. That erratic blood pressure was linked to heart disease, which means that doctors need to closely manage heart disease risk in these patients.Another study may help explain why smoking doubles the risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis. In people with a genetic predisposition to a particular immune response, smoking triggers immune cells called dendritic cells, the researchers found. Unlike osteoarthritis, which is related to wear and tear, rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disorder, meaning the body attacks its own cells.

Data and conclusions presented at meetings are typically considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed medical journal.

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Kate Hudson and son Bing in New York

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Uma Thurman at the HRC Marriage For Equality celebration

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Cheat days

I have just started losing weight and really have a long way to go (over 100 lbs) but I am taking it in chunks of 10 lb goals. The question I have a someone who is only in their 2nd week of trying to learn how to do this is: Can you have cheat days when you have just started and is it safe to do?

I have heard of people losing weight and taking 1 cheat day a week and having good success but I don't know if it should be done when starting out. Also, what would be a safe calorie count on a cheat day if one can be taken.

Thank you all.

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Leigh Lezark at a Kiehl's launch

After the major DON'T we spotted Leigh Lezark in yesterday, it's nice to see the DJ back to her stylish self in this 90s grunge outfit.  

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Dads Who Bond With Kids Help Keep Marriage Strong

Sharing housework also key, study found, as is open communication with spouse

By Barbara Bronson Gray

HealthDay Reporter

THURSDAY, June 13 (HealthDay News) -- For dads aiming at marital bliss, a new study suggests just two factors are especially important: being engaged with the kids, for sure -- but also doing a fair share of the household chores.

In other words, just taking the children outside for a game of catch won't cut it.

"In our study, the wives thought father involvement with the kids and participation in household work are all inter-related and worked together to improve marital quality," said Adam Galovan, lead author of the study and a researcher at the University of Missouri, in Columbia. "They think being a good father involves more than just doing things involved in the care of children."

Galovan found that wives feel more cared for when husbands are involved with their children, yet helping out with the day-to-day responsibilities of running the household also matters.

But Galovan was surprised to find that how husbands and wives specifically divide the work doesn't seem to matter much. Husbands and wives are happier when they share parenting and household responsibilities, but the chores don't have to be divided equally, according to the study. What matters is that both parents are actively participating in both chores and child-rearing.

Doing household chores and being engaged with the children seem to be important ways for husbands to connect with their wives, and that connection is related to better relationships, Galovan explained.

The research was recently published in the Journal of Family Issues.

For the study, the researchers tapped data from a 2005 study that pulled marriage licenses of couples married for less than one year from the Utah Department of Health. Researchers looked at every third or fourth marriage license over a six-month period.

From that data, Galovan surveyed 160 couples between 21 and 55 years old who were in a first marriage. The majority of participants -- 73 percent -- were between 25 and 30 years old. Almost 97 percent were white. Of participants, 98 percent of the husbands and 16 percent of the wives reported they were employed full time, while 24 percent worked part time. The average couple had been married for about five years, and the average income of the participants was between $50,000 and $60,000 a year.

Couples indicated which spouse was generally responsible for completing 20 common household tasks -- or if both or neither of them were responsible. Fathers rated their involvement in their children's lives and mothers noted how involved they felt their husbands were with the kids. Both spouses rated how happy they were with how they divided household tasks and with their marriage.

Men and women differed in how they reported marital quality. For wives, the father-child relationship and father involvement was most important, followed by satisfaction with how the household work was accomplished.

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Seriously Stressed? Hair Analysis Tells All, Study Finds

WEDNESDAY, April 17 (HealthDay News) -- Hair analysis can reveal if seniors have elevated stress hormone levels that may put them at increased risk for heart disease and stroke, a new study suggests.

Unlike a blood test that provides information about stress hormone levels at a single point in time, analysis of a strand of hair can reveal trends in levels of the stress hormone cortisol over several months, according to the researchers.

The study, published April 17 in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, found that seniors with higher long-term levels of cortisol were more likely to have heart disease.

"Like high blood pressure or abdominal fat, the findings suggest elevated cortisol levels are an important signal that an individual is at risk of cardiovascular disease," study co-lead author Dr. Laura Manenschijn, of Erasmus Medical Center in the Netherlands, said in a news release from the Endocrine Society.

"Because scalp hair can capture information about how cortisol levels have changed over time, hair analysis gives us a better tool for evaluating that risk," she explained.

The researchers analyzed 1.2-inch samples of hair from the heads of 283 people, aged 65 to 85, and determined the participants' cortisol levels over the previous three months.

The team found that people with high cortisol levels were more likely to have a history of coronary heart disease, stroke, peripheral artery disease and diabetes.

"The data showed a clear link between chronically elevated cortisol levels and cardiovascular disease," the other lead author, Dr. Elisabeth van Rossum, of Erasmus Medical Center, said in the news release. "Additional studies are needed to explore the role of long-term cortisol measurement as a cardiovascular disease predictor and how it can be used to inform new treatment or prevention strategies," she said.

The research suggested a link between stress hormone levels and heart risks. It didn't prove cause-and-effect.

-- Robert Preidt
Copyright © 2013 HealthDay. All rights reserved. SOURCE: The Endocrine Society, news release, April 17, 2013

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