Lupus Triggers Inflammation in Various Parts of the Body

FROM Medical News Today

Heart Disease Is A Major Complication Of Lupus - February Is National Heart Month
Also Included In: Cardiovascular / Cardiology
Article Date: 04 Feb 2008 - 2:00 PST

Lupus is a chronic (lifelong) disease in which the immune system fails to tell the difference between foreign invaders, such as viruses and bacteria, and the body's own cells. The immune system then produces auto-antibodies ("auto" means "self") which mistakenly attack healthy tissue. These auto-antibodies cause inflammation, pain and damage to various parts of the body, including the heart, lungs, kidneys and brain. READ MORE.

Chronic Arthritis Inflammation Linked to Heart Attacks

From ScienceDaily.com reporting Mayo Clinic Findings

Highlight:
Scientists have known for some time that people with rheumatoid arthritis have a greater risk of dying from a heart attack, and a new study from Minnesota's famed Mayo Clinic points to a joint inflammation as the main cause for the trend.

"We believe that inflammation is a strong risk factor for cardiovascular disease," says the study's lead researcher.

While the experts are still unsure of exactly why rheumatoid arthritis's inflammation of large joints may lead to heart attack deaths, they say that issue is under investigation. In the meantime, they say, it's apparent that, keeping a patient's heart attack risk factor to its minimum is a matter of keeping inflammation to its minimum, too. Read More

How Free Radicals Contribute to Cancer

From e-Articles.info

There may be as many as 10,000 oxidative hits to DNA per cell per day in humans.12 The vast majority of these lesions are repaired by cellular enzymes. Those that are not repaired may progress toward neoplasia (the formation of cancer cells). Because of the continual bombardment of DNA and other tissues by free radicals, the body must obtain ample antioxidant supplies through the diet. Epidemiological studies support a protective role for dietary antioxidants by consistently reporting that populations who consume inadequate amounts of fresh fruits and vegetables are at a higher risk for cancer, heart disease, and other degenerative diseases.

Not only can free radicals initiate cancer, they can also facilitate cancer progression. And in fact, multiple human tumor cell lines have been reported to produce ROS (especially hydrogen peroxide) in vitro.14 Under normal circumstances, few cells other than immune cells produce hydrogen peroxide. Free radical production by tumor cells may help them mutate or display other malignant properties such as tissue invasion. For example, superoxide radicals have been reported to increase the invasive capacity of rat liver cancer cells in vitro. Read More

Inflammation, Heart Disease and Stroke

From the American Heart Association

How does inflammation relate to heart disease and stroke risk?

“Inflammation” is the process by which the body responds to injury or an infection. Laboratory evidence and findings from clinical and population studies suggest that inflammation is important in atherosclerosis (ath”er-o-skleh-RO’sis). This is the process in which fatty deposits build up in the inner lining of arteries.

C-reactive protein (CRP) is one of the acute phase proteins that increase during systemic inflammation. It’s been suggested that testing CRP levels in the blood may be an additional way to assess cardiovascular disease risk. A more sensitive CRP test, called a highly sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) assay, is available to determine heart disease risk.

The American Heart Association and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published a joint scientific statement in 2003 on the use of inflammatory markers in clinical and public health practice. This statement was developed after systematically reviewing the evidence of association between inflammatory markers (mainly CRP) and coronary heart disease and stroke. Read More

Growing Evidence Inflammation is the Factor in Heart Attacks

From the Cleveland Clinic

Role of inflammation -
Growing proof inflammation is a major risk factor for heart disease

A recent Associated Press story by Daniel Q. Haney has lead to numerous stories in the news and press concerning the importance of inflammation in the role of coronary artery disease development and progression.

Inflammation (triggered by environmental factors or genetic influences) causes a sequence of actions in the coronary artery such as, plaque rupture, thrombus formation and embolization into the blood vessels within the heart - placing one at increased risk for heart attack.

Dr. Paul Ridker, a cardiologist at Boston's Brigham and Women's Hospital has conducted several studies over the past few years, suggesting the importance of inflammation in triggering heart attacks. This may explain why those with a normal cholesterol level may still have a heart attack. Read More

Free Radicals and Heart Disease

From National Institutes of Health/ PubMed.gov

The Role of Oxidative Stress and the Genesis of Heart Disease

Although researchers in radiation and cancer biology have known about the existence of free radicals and their potential role in pathobiology for several decades, cardiac biologists only began to take notice of these noxious species in the 1970s. Read More.

The Science of Mangosteen

From LoveMangosteen.net
by Less Berenson, M.D., F.A.C.P. Rev 10-19-2006
The Mangosteen fruit and its rind (or "pericarp") represent an extremely powerful, natural antinflammatory. Inflammation is a key link to Cancer, Alzheimer's, Heart Disease, Diabetes, Allergies, Arthritis, and Autoimmune Disease. Dr Berensen provides in laymans language how Mangosteen can be successfully used both in addition to, and as a substitute to traditional medicine. Read more. http://www.lovemangosteen.net/files/scienceofmangosteen.pdf