(October 23, 2009 - Insidermedicine)

From Philadelphia – According to research presented at the American College of Rheumatology meeting, patients with lupus who suffer depression are at an even greater risk for cardiovascular disease. Researchers studied over 150 women with lupus and who had no prior history of cardiac problems. Results showed that lupus patients with meaningful symptoms of depression were nearly 4 times more likely to suffer atherosclerosis.  

From Montreal – According to research presented at the International Diabetes Federation World Congress of Diabetes, having both diabetes and schizophrenia increases ones likelihood of suffering a cardiovascular event. Researchers studied the health records of over 125,000 diabetic patients, 2,952 of whom had both diabetes and schizophrenia. They found that patients with both conditions were at a 20% increased risk of heart disease, and also, 49% less likely to have revascularization to treat the cardiovascular event.

And finally, from Sweden – Even low alcohol consumption may be bad for ones general health, according to a report published in the journal Cost Effectiveness and Resource Allocation. Researchers analyzed the amount of medical care costs and events that were alcohol related, using information from the 2002 Swedish Social Cost of Alcohol Project. They found that men who drank at most 5 units of alcohol a day, and women who drank 2.5 units a day, were responsible for more health service costs than people who did not drink alcohol.