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Can drinking champagne reduce your risk of sudden cardiac arrest?

<div class="theconversation-article-body"> “My only regret in life is that I didn’t drink enough champagne,” the English economist and philosopher John Maynard Keynes (1883–1946) is reported to have said. As it turns out, there may be a surprising ounce of truth to that quote. Picture this: a glass of champagne – bubbly, crisp and, for many, reserved for toasts and celebrations. Now imagine it being mentioned in the same sentence as a way to help prevent <a href="https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/conditions/cardiac-arrest">sudden cardiac arrest</a>: a condition where the heart abruptly stops beating, killing tens of thousands each year, often without warning. Sounds too good to be true, right? Yet, <a href="https://onlinecjc.ca/article/S0828-282X(25)00171-0/fulltext">a Canadian study</a> has uncovered a curious link. Using data from over half a million people in the health research database the <a href="https://www.ukbiobank.ac.uk/">UK Biobank</a>, researchers found that those who consumed moderate amounts of white wine or champagne had a lower risk of experiencing sudden cardiac arrest. Surprising, especially given the widely held belief <a href="https://academic.oup.com/eurheartj/article/46/2/173/7920813?login=false#google_vignette">that red wine</a>, not white, is what benefits the heart. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9JvI392Iep8?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> To rule out coincidence, the researchers double-checked their findings using genetic data – and the connection seemed to hold firm. This suggests there might be more to the story than chance alone. The study didn’t stop at wine. It explored more than 100 lifestyle and environmental factors tied to sudden cardiac arrest, including diet, exercise, air pollution, emotional wellbeing, body composition and education levels – all of which have been independently associated with risk. The conclusion? Up to 63% of sudden cardiac arrest cases could potentially be prevented by addressing these risk factors. Among all the protective factors identified, a few stood out: fruit consumption, regular computer use (yes, really) and moderate drinking of white wine or champagne were all linked to a reduced risk of sudden cardiac arrest. Why? That remains uncertain. One theory is that white wine contains antioxidants that may support heart health. Another possibility is that people who drink these types of beverages may also be more affluent and more likely to engage in other healthy behaviour, such as eating well, exercising regularly – and have access to better healthcare. But before you pop a cork in celebration, a word of caution: alcohol remains a complex and often contradictory player in heart health. Other large-scale studies suggest a <a href="https://www.bmj.com/content/356/bmj.j909">U-shaped relationship</a> between alcohol and cardiovascular disease. Non-drinkers may have a certain level of risk, moderate drinkers of one glass of wine a day <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7020057/">may see</a> some benefit, but heavy drinking sharply increases the risk of high blood pressure, stroke and heart failure. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hrthm.2021.10.022">One observational study</a> involving over 400,000 participants even found that moderate drinking could raise the risk of <a href="https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/arrhythmia/">arrhythmias</a>, which in some cases can lead to sudden death. So while champagne may offer a hopeful glimmer, it’s no magic bullet. The study’s broader message was clear: it’s the overall lifestyle that matters most. Better sleep, regular physical activity and <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-heart-patients-have-trouble-sticking-to-a-healthy-diet-and-3-things-that-help-them-eat-better-239172">a balanced diet</a> significantly reduced the risk of sudden cardiac arrest – and could prevent nearly one in five cases. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/jdgYN1QgKng?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> On the flip side, obesity, high blood pressure and chronic stress were among the strongest risk factors, along with lower education levels and exposure to air pollution. These findings underscore that preventing sudden cardiac arrest isn’t just about personal habits: it’s also about the environments we live in and the policies that shape them. Cleaner air, better education and easier access to nutritious food could all play a role. Sudden cardiac arrest is not entirely random. Many of the contributing factors are within our control. Managing stress, staying active, maintaining a healthy weight, getting quality sleep – and yes, perhaps enjoying the occasional glass of white wine – can all help. But the real power lies in stacking small, healthy choices over time. Prevention is rarely about a single change; it’s about the cumulative effect of many. And in case you were wondering: Keynes suffered a series of heart attacks in 1946, beginning during negotiations for the <a href="https://history.blog.gov.uk/2020/12/07/whats-the-context-signing-the-anglo-american-financial-agreement-6-december-1945/">Anglo-American loan</a> in Savannah, Georgia. He described the process as “absolute hell”. A few weeks after returning to his farmhouse in Firle, East Sussex, he died of a heart attack at the age of 62. Maybe he was right about drinking more champagne after all.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/255708/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> By <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/david-c-gaze-312661">David C. Gaze</a>, Senior Lecturer in Chemical Pathology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-westminster-916">University of Westminster</a> This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/can-drinking-champagne-reduce-your-risk-of-sudden-cardiac-arrest-heres-why-its-only-a-small-part-of-the-story-255708">original article</a>. Image: Shutterstock </div>

Caring

"I'm going straight into surgery": Barnaby Joyce opens on cancer diagnosis

Former Deputy Prime Minister and long-time Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce has revealed he is battling prostate cancer, using the opportunity to encourage Australian men to prioritise their health. In his first public comments since the diagnosis, Joyce spoke candidly with Sunrise on Monday morning, just hours before heading into surgery. “Literally, straight after this … I’m going … straight down the road and straight into surgery,” the newly re-elected Member for New England told host Natalie Barr. Joyce said he was feeling well despite the diagnosis, highlighting a common danger with prostate cancer. “I feel fine. I suppose that’s the problem with prostate cancer, you don’t feel bad.” He explained that his cancer was discovered during the election campaign, thanks to a persistent doctor who urged him to take a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test. “It was like ‘bingo’ – there were elevated levels,” Joyce recalled. Following a PSA test, Joyce underwent an MRI and then a biopsy, which confirmed the presence of early-stage prostate cancer. “They said, ‘You’re lucky, it’s early stages, you’ve got to do something about it,’” he said. Despite the diagnosis, Joyce chose to delay surgery until after the election to avoid disrupting his campaign. “I didn’t want a big circus going on during the election,” he said. In a lighter moment, Joyce revealed he was delayed getting to hospital because of a flat tyre. “I can’t help myself, can I?” he joked. Joyce said his experience serves as a warning to other men. “If you’re a man, or you know a man, if you’re in your 40s, 50s, go get a PSA test and clear your own mind that everything is fine,” he urged. “If you get it early you’re overwhelmingly going to be OK.” Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek, also appearing on Sunrise, praised Joyce’s decision to speak openly about his diagnosis. “I really do think that having high-profile people like Barnaby talk about their health challenges is really important to encourage other men to get the test,” she said. Professor Damien Bolton, Urologist and President of the Urological Society of Australia and New Zealand (USANZ) also added a message of support in response to Joyce’s openness. “By being open and honest about his prostate cancer diagnosis, Barnaby Joyce is helping raise awareness about a disease that is the second most common cause of cancer related deaths in men,” said Bolton. “If caught early, prostate cancer is nearly always curable with 97 percent of men still alive five years after their diagnosis.” Joyce concluded with a message of hope and perspective: “Look at this beautiful world; you want to live as long as you possibly can.” Image: Sunrise

Caring

"Our hearts started to pound": Aussie identical twins go viral with eyewitness account

A pair of identical twins from Queensland have captivated the internet after their dramatic eyewitness account of an alleged carjacking aired on Australian television, showcasing not only the chaos of the event but their uncanny ability to speak in perfect unison. Paula and Bridgette Powers, known for their wildlife rescue work, became an overnight global sensation following a 90-second segment aired by 7 News Queensland. The viral clip – which has amassed over 14.5 million views on X (formerly Twitter) – featured the sisters recounting <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/man-charged-after-fatal-carjacking-rampage-on-sunshine-coast" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a harrowing incident</a> near their Sunshine Coast home, where an SUV rolled on Steve Irwin Way. Wearing matching blue bunny-patterned shirts and sporting identical hairstyles, the Powers twins recounted the moment their mother and a bystander rushed to help the crash victim – only to discover he was allegedly armed. “And one guy, he was up there with our mum and he, he went up there and he was coming back down toward us and he goes, ‘Run, he’s got a gun,’” the sisters said in eerie synchronicity. “And oh, our hearts started to pound and I said, ‘Mum, where’s mum?’” The twins explained how their mother narrowly escaped the suspect, who they say had “blood all over his face” and threatened to shoot her. “Mum distracted him to make him look the other way… and mum ran into the bush behind the fence and the guy goes to her, ‘I’ll find you and I’ll shoot you,’” they recalled. Despite the terrifying encounter, all three family members escaped unharmed. Authorities have since charged a man with multiple offences, including dangerous driving causing death and two counts of armed robbery. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> holy shit there is nothing that can prepare you for when they cut to the interview <a href="https://t.co/UA9iVIyCIm">pic.twitter.com/UA9iVIyCIm</a> — microplastics envelope filter (@DiabolicalSpuds) <a href="https://twitter.com/DiabolicalSpuds/status/1914418466699858250?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 21, 2025</a></blockquote> The sisters are no strangers to the spotlight. In a 2021 ABC News profile, they shared how their passion for wildlife led them to a fateful meeting with the late Steve Irwin, who they said was “quite taken with them” when they were found comforting a sick green sea turtle. The twins later worked at the Australia Zoo and now run their own charity, Twinnies Pelican and Seabird Rescue. Speaking in unison has always come naturally to them. “Our brains must think alike at the same time,” they told the ABC. “It annoys a lot of people, but changing the way we speak doesn’t feel right to us at all.” Paula and Bridgette also previously made headlines during a 2016 appearance on Good Morning Britain, charming hosts Piers Morgan and Susannah Reid with their synchronised laughter and responses. “Sometimes we do feel like just one person, yes, we do,” they said at the time. Image: X (Formerly Twitter)

An artificial heart may save your life. But it can also change you in surprising ways

<div class="theconversation-article-body"> This week, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/mar/12/australian-man-survives-100-days-with-artificial-heart-in-world-first-success">doctors announced</a> that an Australian man with severe heart failure had left hospital with an artificial heart that had kept him alive until he could receive a donor heart. The patient, a man from New South Wales in his 40s, was not the world’s first person to receive this type of artificial heart. However, he is <a href="https://www.svhs.org.au/newsroom/news/australia-first-total-artificial-heart-implant">said to be</a> the <a href="https://www.monash.edu/news/articles/australias-first-durable-total-artificial-heart-implant-announced-as-a-success">first with one to be discharged from hospital</a> to wait for a heart transplant, which he’s since had. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT This machine has enabled an Australian man with severe heart failure to be the first person in the world to leave hospital with an artificial heart transplant <a href="https://t.co/6S12mINwBm">pic.twitter.com/6S12mINwBm</a> — Reuters (@Reuters) <a href="https://twitter.com/Reuters/status/1899862954155126824?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 12, 2025</a></blockquote> I am a philosopher and bioethicist. I <a href="https://bridges.monash.edu/articles/thesis/Phenomenology_and_Artificial_Hearts/22312204">completed my PhD</a> on artificial hearts – particularly how these implants can change people’s lives in profound ways. Here’s what patients and their families need to consider. <h2>What is an artificial heart?</h2> Artificial hearts began to be developed in the 1960s, sponsored by the United States government and funded in a similar way to space and military programs. In 1982, a man named <a href="https://www.historynewsnetwork.org/article/hero-or-victim-the-25th-anniversary-of-barney-clar">Barney Clark</a> received the Jarvik-7 total artificial heart. Doctors removed his failing biological heart and replaced it with a plastic and metal device to circulate blood to his lungs and around his body. He lived for 112 days before dying from multi-organ failure. He never left hospital. In the 1980s and 1990s, medical device companies began to develop alternatives to total artificial hearts. These partial artificial hearts, known as ventricular assist devices, help out a biological heart by supplementing or replacing one of its two pumping chambers. These are more straightforward and versatile than total artificial hearts, and can be used for earlier stages of heart failure. Not all artificial hearts generate a pulse. Artificial hearts with a pulse generally mimic the biological heart. They pump blood in the same way the heart beats, by filling with blood and squeezing to circulate blood in waves or pulses. But some devices continuously push blood around the body instead of pulsing. So with these continuous-flow devices neither the patient nor their health team can <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11906-017-0782-6">detect a pulse</a>. <a href="https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0003497524008749">In the US between 2014 and 2024</a>, almost 30,000 patients received continuous-flow ventricular assist devices. In the same period, more than 310 total artificial hearts were implanted. The total artificial hearts <a href="https://www.syncardia.com/syncardia-total-artificial-heart-stah.html">commercially</a> <a href="https://www.carmatsa.com/en/our_product/">available</a> today are licensed exclusively as bridging therapies – to keep people alive until a donor heart becomes available – rather than permanent implants. <h2>How about the device making news this week?</h2> The device in the news – the <a href="https://www.monash.edu/news/articles/australias-first-durable-total-artificial-heart-implant-announced-as-a-success">BiVACOR Total Artificial Heart</a> – was developed by a US-Australian collaboration. This device is innovative, mainly because it is the first continuous-flow device designed to replace the whole heart. Designers are also aiming for it to be the first total artificial heart suitable as a permanent transplant (known as destination therapy). A reliable, durable and responsive total artificial heart is, <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-03-12/sydney-hospital-artificial-heart-implant-operation-success/105036154">in the words</a> of Paul Jansz, the surgeon who implanted the device, “the Holy Grail”. The BiVACOR’s clinical success so far gives us reason to be optimistic about an alternative to scarce donor hearts for responding to severe heart failure. <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/655013/original/file-20250313-56-4w24qy.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&rect=12%2C12%2C8231%2C5475&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/655013/original/file-20250313-56-4w24qy.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&rect=12%2C12%2C8231%2C5475&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/655013/original/file-20250313-56-4w24qy.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/655013/original/file-20250313-56-4w24qy.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/655013/original/file-20250313-56-4w24qy.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/655013/original/file-20250313-56-4w24qy.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/655013/original/file-20250313-56-4w24qy.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/655013/original/file-20250313-56-4w24qy.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="Hand holding the BiVACOR artificial heart" /></a><figcaption>This device is designed to replace the whole heart, and for now, is licensed as a temporary implant, ahead of a heart transplant. BiVACOR TIQ</figcaption></figure> <h2>Transplants can change lives</h2> However, patients do not just resume their old lives when they leave hospital with an artificial heart. While the pumping component is inside their chest, there are also <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BHW0ATvgFDu/?hl=en">external components</a> to manage and monitor. A thick tube perforates their abdomen and connects to an external controller unit and power supply, which the patient carries around in a bag. Controllers must be closely monitored, and batteries must be regularly recharged. My research showed that even a perfectly safe and reliable total artificial heart could transform patients’ lives in at least three major areas. 1. Is it part of me? Do I trust it? Patients must <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/09638288.2020.1717648">trust, tolerate and receive sensory feedback about how the device is working</a> for it to feel like part of them. In the case of an artificial heart, this might mean the device feels responsive to exercise and the body’s needs. But it may be difficult for artificial hearts to meet these criteria, especially for devices that do not generate a pulse. Patients may also question whether their heart is located in their body, or in the controller unit. They may wonder if they even have a heart, particularly if they can’t feel a pulse. 2. Beeps and alarms An artificial heart also changes how patients live their lives and <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11097-024-10050-7">navigate the world</a>. Interruptions from <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1049732317700853">loud device alarms</a> distract patients from their normal activities. And patients must switch between mains power and batteries when they <a href="https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0147956311002718">wake in the night and need to visit the toilet</a>. 3. Marking time Our hearts may be our <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/neurorobotics/articles/10.3389/fnbot.2014.00015/full">natural</a> <a href="https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0301051111000032">metronomes</a>, marking time. So removing someone’s heart rhythm can confuse their sense of time. The need for batteries to be recharged periodically can also reshape patients’ days. Waiting around for a transplant heart, or the latest software update, may change patients’ perspectives on what months and years feel like. <h2>We need to give patients the whole picture</h2> Artificial hearts are remarkable devices with great promise. But patients and families also deserve to know how these extraordinary treatments might change how they feel about themselves and the world. They need to know this before they sign up for them. Artificial hearts don’t just save lives – they also change them.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/252165/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> By <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/pat-mcconville-2344684">Pat McConville</a>, Lecturer in Ethics, Law, and Professionalism, School of Medicine, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/deakin-university-757">Deakin University</a> This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/an-artificial-heart-may-save-your-life-but-it-can-also-change-you-in-surprising-ways-252165">original article</a>. Image: Shutterstock </div>

Body

Jimmy Barnes recovers from hip replacement surgery

Jimmy Barnes is recovering from hip replacement surgery. The rocker, who has endured a tough years-long health battle, told fans over the weekend that he would be undergoing a hip replacement, and now his wife Jane Mahoney, has shared a positive health update. Jane informed fans via X that Barnes' surgery is complete, alongside a photo of the singer eating soup on his hospital bed. "Hi everyone, @jane13barnes here," she began. "Relieved to let you know that our Jimmy has had his hip op. Surgeons are happy and no ICU, so we're off to a good start. "No turntable allowed yet but good home cooking was on the menu. Bone broth and chicken soup with our organic potatoes and spinach for iron. "Jimmy says thank you for all the well wishes." <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Hi everyone, <a href="https://twitter.com/jane13barnes?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@jane13barnes</a> here. Relieved to let you know that our Jimmy has had his hip op. Surgeons are happy and no ICU, so we’re off to a good start. No turntable allowed yet but good home cooking was on the menu. Bone broth and chicken soup with our organic potatoes and… <a href="https://t.co/HMtl9BBTcM">pic.twitter.com/HMtl9BBTcM</a> — Jimmy Barnes (@JimmyBarnes) <a href="https://twitter.com/JimmyBarnes/status/1888867076661727235?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 10, 2025</a></blockquote> Barnes previously revealed in a candid X post that the surgery was "actually good news." "My incredible doctors have just cleared me to go back in next week to have my hip replaced with a permanent joint. Hooray!" he cheered. "I'm obviously not looking forward to more surgery, but believe it or not, it's actually good news. "It might surprise you all to know that I'm not a good patient, so apologies in advance to my darling Jane [who] is going to be back in nursing mode for the next few weeks. "But the temporary hip that I had in there for the last few months did its job and it got me through the amazing Cold Chisel' Big Five-0' tour. "I'd like to send out a big thank you to the very talented physios who strapped me up like I was in the grand final every night. That got me through the shows." The star's health battle began in November 2023 after he was diagnosed with a bacterial infection and later had to undergo open heart surgery in December. Image: X

Caring

Peter Overton opens up on health battle

Nine News star Peter Overton has opened up about the brutal health battle that's kept him away from the news desk over the past few weeks. The presenter had to undergo surgery on his vocal chords, after doctors found a polyp that urgently needed to be removed. “I took six weeks annual leave, and then my voice suddenly said, I’m on annual leave as well. I got very husky and raspy over the holidays, and went to the GP. He sent me to an ENT (ear, nose and throat) surgeon, and suddenly the holiday turned into an operation in a Sydney hospital,” Overton said. “I had a polyp, quite a large polyp on one of my vocal cords. "They stick a camera up your nose and then down into your vocal cord, and then on a big screen, you see your vocal cords. And I saw this. It was like a big blister, a lump just hanging off the cord. “And I must admit, it scared the living daylights out of me." The polyp was removed three days later and he could return home after a day in recovery, but was unable to talk for a week. “It was interesting being mute. If I went to get the milk, I’d write an email to myself and it would say I’d have to show it to someone!” News of Overton’s health scare first emerged earlier this month, when his wife, Jess Rowe, revealed that he was on <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/jess-rowe-explains-peter-overton-s-absence-from-the-news-desk" target="_blank" rel="noopener">extended leave</a>. Overton shared that he's been working with a speech pathologist to get his voice back to what it was like before. "I've worked with a great speech pathologist who has got me back to the point I'm at," he said. "And three weeks since the operation, I'm doing the news again." "The human body is amazing. I've really learned that, and I've learned about the healing process, and I've learned about how intricate your vocal chords are and what they do," he added. "It's been fascinating." Image: Nine News/ Instagram

Caring

Kyle Sandilands reveals major health diagnosis live on air

Kyle Sandilands has shared his shocking health diagnosis live on air, telling his listeners he is due to undergo emergency brain surgery. The radio shock jock shared the news on Monday morning, saying he would be stepping back from the KIIS FM hosting role to look after his health and recover from the major operation. “On Friday, I was told by my medical team, which sounds like I’m already very sick - to have a medical team - that I have a brain aneurysm and it requires immediate attention, brain surgery,” Sandilands told listeners. “If you just tuned in to us after all these years, lap it up. And if you’re in Melbourne ... you’re coming to the party too late. You may get your wish. I may be dead.” After being away on Friday, Sandilands shared that he received his diagnosis after a difficult period of difficult headaches. <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DFlTXUwo5w6/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DFlTXUwo5w6/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Kyle and Jackie O (@kyleandjackieo)</a> </div> </blockquote> "It's not a blockage. It's like, imagine your blood vessel is the garden hose, and the garden hose is weak and it blisters out like a big bubble, you know, like a puncture in it. (It's) like a bike tyre with a big bubble - that bubble's the aneurysm, so it's not blocked," he explained. "It's expanded and if it bursts, (I will become) either a vegetable, in the wheelchair, or dead instantly" Sandilands expects to take eight weeks off from his hit show, The Kyle and Jackie O Show, to recover. “My wife, every time I look at her, her eyes well up with tears. She is already counting down the days.” “The facts are a life of cocaine abuse and partying are not the way to go,” he said. Sandilands then used his condition as a warning to others, saying, "If anyone is having persistent headaches or any of those recurring issues, get a brain scan. It could save your life." Image credits: Instagram

Caring

The heart research that could save fit and healthy Australians

Leading scientists at the <a title="https://www.hri.org.au" href="https://www.hri.org.au/" data-outlook-id="7561b6b0-1679-4cf1-aedd-c178db738113">Heart Research Institute</a> (HRI) are close to uncovering a new biomarker to identify people at risk of heart disease with a simple blood test, after a “good” gene was identified that causes the heart to enlarge with exercise. The world first discovery was led by one of Australia’s foremost heart scientists, Professor Julie McMullen, who is now leading HRI’s Heart Muscle Group to focus on developing new ways to prevent and treat heart attack and heart failure. “Our goal is to reproduce the actions of the ‘good’ genes in the diseased heart by mimicking the beneficial effects of exercise in a failing heart. We then use that information to develop new drugs to reduce the risk of heart disease or heart failure,” Prof McMullen said. One person has a heart attack in Australia every 10 minutes, while one Australian dies from cardiovascular disease every 12 minutes. “Heart disease can happen to any of us. With increasing rates of obesity and type two diabetes, people are being affected by heart conditions at a much younger age, which can progress to heart attack and heart failure,” Prof McMullen said. “Current drugs are not very effective for improving heart function and quality of life, so it is important that we identify new therapies for patients with heart disease and heart failure.” A simple blood test could have helped someone like Warren Williams, who was a fit and healthy tri-athelete when he discovered he had atrial fibrillation. The Sydney father had to be fitted with a pacemaker, only to still suffer a massive cardiac arrest years later while on a run. “Doctors told me I should be dead, they said I shouldn’t have lived through it,” he said. "Somehow I miraculously survived, probably due to my fitness, but that we will never know. I was told I wouldn’t be able to run again, ride a bike, sing on stage, and possibly not even work again." The father is now on a mission to spread awareness about regular heart check-ups, especially for those people who feel fit and healthy. "Atrial Fibrillation affects people in many different ways - for some, everyday life and function becomes quite difficult, whereas in others, like myself, it can be a silent underlying condition with potentially life-threatening outcomes." Scientists are hoping to find the gift of research in their Santa stocking this festive season as HRI launches a targeted <a title="https://www.hri.org.au/donate-christmas-appeal" href="https://www.hri.org.au/donate-christmas-appeal" data-outlook-id="69ee70de-a228-4c82-9fb7-4efd2bcfa0b0">Christmas Appeal</a> to help Prof McMullen’s team ramp up their work to the next phase. “We know this biomarker is there and we are close to finding it, but it comes down to researchers getting time in the lab,” Prof McMullen said. “By donating, individuals can fund essential laboratory resources and high-tech equipment, accelerating the availability of life-changing treatments for those in need, said Prof McMullen. Image credits: Shutterstock

Body

Been drinking and your heart’s fluttering? You may have ‘holiday heart’

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/caleb-ferguson-72">Caleb Ferguson</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-wollongong-711">University of Wollongong</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/sabine-allida-2236436">Sabine Allida</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-wollongong-711">University of Wollongong</a> It’s the time of year for workplace Christmas parties, and gatherings with family and friends. Maybe you’ll drink a lot in one go. Then you feel your heart beating fast or irregularly. Maybe there’s a flutter in your chest or neck. Maybe you feel dizzy or short of breath. You may feel so concerned you go to the emergency department. After a few tests, you’re told you have “alcohol-induced atrial arrhythmia”. In plain English, that’s an irregular heartbeat brought on by excessive, or binge drinking. The condition is common at this time of year. That’s why it’s also called “<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/000287037890296X">holiday heart</a>”. <h2>What is holiday heart?</h2> Every festive season, emergency departments see more people with <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/prehospital-and-disaster-medicine/article/impact-of-alcoholrelated-presentations-to-emergency-departments-on-days-with-a-public-holiday-or-sporting-event-a-retrospective-cohort-study/174603C0385FE6FCEBBAEA1A10DB25BD">alcohol-related issues</a> and <a href="https://www.heartlungcirc.org/article/S1443-9506(16)30583-2/pdf">irregular heart rhythms</a>. People often present with a fast or irregular heartbeats associated with binge drinking, overeating, dehydration and increased stress over the silly season – all contributing factors. We’ve known about holiday heart (or holiday heart syndrome) for <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/000287037890296X">almost 50 years</a>. Back in the 1970s, it was described as an abnormal heart rhythm (or arrythmia) in healthy people without heart disease after binge drinking alcohol. Doctors often saw this after weekends and public holidays, including the festive season. But an abnormal heart rhythm related to alcohol <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405500X22009379#bib2">isn’t limited</a> to the holidays and weekends. We also see it in people who binge drink at any time of year, or in people who drink heavily over many years. <h2>What causes it? How is it diagnosed?</h2> Alcohol affects your <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5513687/">heart, blood vessels, blood</a> and nervous system in many ways. For instance, when alcohol disrupts your nervous system, it can lead to dehydration and inflammation. In turn, this can cause disruption to the heart’s electrical system, which can lead to an <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28867013/">irregular heartbeat</a>. People may go to hospital with heart flutters, chest pain, fainting or passing out (syncope) and shortness of breath (dyspnoea). But an irregular heartbeat can also occur without symptoms, and may only be discovered when investigating other health issues. If you have symptoms, go to your emergency department or GP. Health professionals will likely run some tests to diagnose heart-related rhythm problems. These include monitoring the heart’s rhythm using an ECG or electrocardiogram. This simple and non-invasive test involves attaching some electrodes to your chest, arms and legs to produce a graph of electrical signals from the heart. Clinicians are often interested in the “p wave”, which represents the electrical activation of the upper chambers of the heart. You may also have a blood test to look at your electrolyte levels (essential minerals in your blood). A blood test may also test for markers of clotting and inflammation, as well as kidney and liver function. <h2>Why are we concerned about it?</h2> The vast majority of people diagnosed with holiday heart will recover, especially if treated early or if they stop or limit drinking alcohol. However, some people will be diagnosed with <a href="https://theconversation.com/getting-to-the-heart-of-the-matter-on-stroke-7180">atrial fibrillation</a> – the <a href="https://www.heartlungcirc.org/article/S1443-9506(18)31778-5/fulltext">most common</a> heart rhythm disorder in Australian adults, affecting <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1443950617304845">1.4-5.5%</a> of the population. If so, this may require medicines to restore a regular heartbeat (known as <a href="https://www.svhhearthealth.com.au/procedures/procedures-treatments/cardioversion">cardioversion</a>), electrical cardioversion (using a defibrillator to apply an electric shock to the heart) or a procedure called <a href="https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/arrhythmia/prevention--treatment-of-arrhythmia/ablation-for-arrhythmias">cardiac ablation</a>. If atrial fibrillation is left untreated, there’s an increased risk of blood clots, stroke and a heart attack. <h2>How can you prevent it?</h2> There is no definitive number of drinks known to trigger holiday heart. So our best advice to prevent it is to avoid binge drinking. Australian <a href="https://www.nhmrc.gov.au/health-advice/alcohol">guidelines</a> recommend women and men limit alcohol to no more than ten standard drinks a week and no more than four standard drinks on any one day. We’d also recommend drinking water between alcoholic drinks. This can help reduce the dehydrating effects of alcohol and reduce the risk of alcohol-induced heart rhythm complications. Then do your best to <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/2156587214543143">reduce stress</a>, keep up with exercise and eat a diet that’s <a href="https://www.heartfoundation.org.au/healthy-living/healthy-eating/heart-healthy-eating-pattern">good for your heart</a> – all general advice for looking after your heart, whether or not you’re drinking alcohol. Taking these steps will help reduce your risk of holiday heart and keep your heart healthy this festive season. <hr /> Information about alcohol and the heart is available from the <a href="https://www.heartfoundation.org.au/blog/alcohol-and-heart-health">Heart Foundation</a>. If your GP is closed over the holidays and you need health advice, call <a href="https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/">healthdirect</a> on 1800 022 222, <a href="https://www.health.vic.gov.au/primary-care/nurse-on-call">NURSE-ON-CALL</a> in Victoria on 1300 60 60 24 or <a href="https://www.qld.gov.au/health/contacts/advice/13health">13HEALTH</a> in Queensland on 13 43 25 84. In an emergency in Australia, call 000.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/241469/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/caleb-ferguson-72">Caleb Ferguson</a>, Professor of Nursing and Director of Health Innovations, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-wollongong-711">University of Wollongong</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/sabine-allida-2236436">Sabine Allida</a>, Research Fellow (Implementation Science), <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-wollongong-711">University of Wollongong</a> Image credits: Shutterstock This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/been-drinking-and-your-hearts-fluttering-you-may-have-holiday-heart-241469">original article</a>. </div>

Body

From eye exams to blood tests and surgery: how doctors use light to diagnose disease

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/matthew-griffith-1539353">Matthew Griffith</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a> You’re not feeling well. You’ve had a pounding headache all week, dizzy spells and have vomited up your past few meals. You visit your GP to get some answers and sit while they shine a light in your eyes, order a blood test and request some medical imaging. Everything your GP just did relies on light. These are just some of the optical technologies that have had an enormous impact in how we diagnose disease. <h2>1. On-the-spot tests</h2> Point-of-care diagnostics allow doctors to test patients on the spot and get answers in minutes, rather than sending samples to a lab for analysis. The “flashlight” your GP uses to view the inside of your eye (known as an <a href="https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/003881.htm">ophthalmoscope</a>) is a great example. This allows doctors to detect abnormal blood flow in the eye, deformations of the cornea (the outermost clear layer of the eye), or swollen optical discs (a round section at the back of the eye where the nerve link to the brain begins). Swollen discs are a sign of elevated pressure inside your head (or in the worst case, a brain tumour) that could be <a href="https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/headache/increased-intracranial-pressure-icp-headache">causing your headaches</a>. The invention of <a href="https://openmedscience.com/lighting-the-way-in-healthcare-the-transformative-role-of-lasers-in-medicine/">lasers and LEDs</a> has enabled many other miniaturised technologies to be provided at the bedside or clinic rather than in the lab. <a href="https://theconversation.com/whats-a-pulse-oximeter-should-i-buy-one-to-monitor-covid-at-home-174457">Pulse oximetry</a> is a famous example, where a clip attached to your finger reports how well your blood is oxygenated. It does this by <a href="https://www.howequipmentworks.com/pulse_oximeter/">measuring</a> the different responses of oxygenated and de-oxygenated blood to different colours of light. Pulse oximetry is used at hospitals (and <a href="https://theconversation.com/whats-a-pulse-oximeter-should-i-buy-one-to-monitor-covid-at-home-174457">sometimes at home</a>) to monitor your respiratory and heart health. In hospitals, it is also a valuable tool for detecting <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(12)60107-X/fulltext">heart defects in babies</a>. <h2>2. Looking at molecules</h2> Now, back to that blood test. Analysing a small amount of your blood can diagnose <a href="https://theconversation.com/blood-tests-and-diagnosing-illness-what-can-blood-tell-us-about-whats-happening-in-our-body-80327">many different diseases</a>. A machine called an automated “full blood count analyser” tests for general markers of your health. This machine directs focused beams of light through blood samples held in small glass tubes. It counts the number of blood cells, determines their specific type, and reports the level of haemoglobin (the protein in red blood cells that distributes oxygen around your body). In minutes, this machine can provide a <a href="https://www.nuffieldhealth.com/article/inside-the-pathology-lab-what-happens-to-my-blood">snapshot</a> of your overall health. For more specific disease markers, blood serum is separated from the heavier cells by spinning in a rotating instrument called a centrifuge. The serum is then exposed to special chemical stains and enzyme assays that change colour depending on whether specific molecules, which may be the sign of a disease, are present. These colour changes can’t be detected with the naked eye. However, a light beam from an instrument called a <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5476943/#R88">spectrometer</a> can detect tiny amounts of these substances in the blood and determine if the biomarkers for diseases are present, and at what levels. <h2>3. Medical imaging</h2> Let’s re-visit those medical images your GP ordered. The development of fibre-optic technology, made famous for transforming high-speed digital communications (such as the NBN), allows light to get inside the body. The result? High-resolution optical imaging. A common example is an <a href="https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/153737#risks-and-side-effects">endoscope</a>, where fibres with a tiny camera on the end are inserted into the body’s natural openings (such as your mouth or anus) to examine your gut or respiratory tracts. Surgeons can insert the same technology through tiny cuts to view the inside of the body on a video screen during <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9553337/">laparoscopic surgery</a> (also known as keyhole surgery) to diagnose and treat disease. <h2>How about the future?</h2> Progress in nanotechnology and a better understanding of the interactions of light with our tissues are leading to new light-based tools to help diagnose disease. These include: <ul> <li> <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/advs.201903441">nanomaterials</a> (materials on an extremely small scale, many thousands of times smaller than the width of a human hair). These are being used in next-generation sensors and new diagnostic tests </li> <li> <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41587-019-0045-y">wearable optical biosensors</a> the size of your fingernail can be included in devices such as watches, contact lenses or finger wraps. These devices allow non-invasive measurements of sweat, tears and saliva, in real time </li> <li> AI tools to analyse how blood serum scatters infrared light. This has allowed researchers to build a <a href="https://www.advancedsciencenews.com/powerful-diagnostic-approach-uses-light-to-detect-virtually-all-forms-of-cancer/">comprehensive database</a> of scatter patterns to detect <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/aisy.202300006">any cancer</a> </li> <li> a type of non-invasive imaging called <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK554044/">optical coherence tomography</a> for more detailed imaging of the eye, heart and skin </li> <li> fibre optic technology to deliver a tiny microscope into the body on the <a href="https://www.uwa.edu.au/projects/microscope-in-a-needle">tip of a needle</a>. </li> </ul> So the next time you’re at the GP and they perform (or order) some tests, chances are that at least one of those tests depend on light to help diagnose disease.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/231379/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/matthew-griffith-1539353">Matthew Griffith</a>, Associate Professor and ARC Future Fellow and Director, UniSA Microscopy and Microanalysis Facilities, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a> Image credits: Shutterstock This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/from-eye-exams-to-blood-tests-and-surgery-how-doctors-use-light-to-diagnose-disease-231379">original article</a>. </div>

Body

John Farnham tells all about gruelling surgery and recovery

John Farnham has candidly shared the details of his mammoth surgery to remove a cancerous tumour from his jaw, and the subsequent recovery process. Revealing all in his new memoir The Voice Inside, the Aussie music legend spoke about his recent health challenges after he was diagnosed with oral cancer in August 2022 which saw him undergo a marathon 12-hour surgery to the tumour. The procedure involved the reconstruction of part of his jaw and required intensive care and an extended recovery period, as surgeons removed all his bottom teeth and scraped his jaw bone. Farnham’s recounting of the experience in his memoir, marking the first time the music legend has talked publicly about the surgery and his recovery. “I was told later that someone from the medical team called Jillian [Billman, Farnham’s wife] a couple of times while I was in theatre – apparently I was very close to dying,” he said. He went on to write about the lengthy journey of finding his voice again, writing, “My facial disfigurement from the surgery means I can’t open my mouth wide enough for a strip of spaghetti, let alone to sing a top C." "At this stage I can’t get the movement to make the sounds I want to make, and that’s where the vibrations and my voice come from,” he wrote. “It’s still a very disconcerting thing. And trying hurts [...] I can barely open my mouth but I still wail in the shower.” Farnham's memoir comes after his long-time friend Gaynor Wheatley told Today that he has not ruled out the possibility of ever <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/health/caring/longtime-friend-opens-up-on-john-farnham-s-potential-return-to-singing" target="_blank" rel="noopener">performing</a> again. "As soon as I saw him in the studio doing the audiobook and as soon as he got behind the microphone, the twinkle was in the eye," she told the show on Wednesday. "That's when I thought, you know, we're still in with a shot and he can still sing, his voice box is still great, there's just a few more things to do with the mouth recovery, but we all know he's as strong as a boxer so if he wants to do something, he'll do it. "If I say to him, 'You won't sing, you can't sing, what a shame', then he'll go, 'Yes I can, I'll prove you wrong'." Image credits: Getty Images / Facebook

Caring

Channel Nine star shares "alarming" hospital photos

Channel Nine star Leila McKinnon has shared a series of "alarming" photos from a hospital bed after undergoing surgery. The veteran newsreader revealed in a candid Instagram post on Thursday that she’d undergone “another delightful knee operation”, which had left her leg a startling shade of pink. “I may or may not be high as a kite right now after another delightful knee operation, but something alarming appears to have happened, is my leg pink?” McKinnon wrote alongside the images. “Surgical team did play some brilliant Chappell Roan tunes for me.” The mother-of-two, who is married to former Nine CEO David Gyngell, explained in the comments that the colour had come from a post-op disinfectant after her followers expressed their concerns. It’s understood McKinnon had undergone the operation to remove a pin inserted after an accident in 2022 which had seen her rushed to hospital. She posted a picture from her hospital bed along with X-rays of the injury at the time, along with a caption explaining that the injury was a result of a skiing accident. “Hey what did you do on the school holidays? I don’t want to show off or anything but I got a fancy piercing in my knee …” McKinnon said at the time. Image credits: Instagram

Caring

"Heavy heart": Susie O'Neill breaks down as she resigns live on air

Olympic swimmer turned radio host Susie O'Neill has broken down live on air as she announced her resignation from her role with the Brisbane Nova breakfast show. The 51-year-old tearfully told her co-hosts David 'Luttsy' Lutteral and Ashley Bradnam that she would be taking a step back from radio after 10 years with the network. "I do this with a heavy heart, the decision wasn't easy. It's hard for me to articulate exactly why I'm leaving," Susie began. "Turning 50 last year, I realised I'm at a whole new stage in my life. The next chapter will see me pursue other goals, both professionally and personally." Susie added that she was already contemplating what her next career moves would be, as she reassured listeners that she would stay on the air for another six weeks, with her final show being on November 28th. "I want to get back to the grassroots of sport and involve myself in the wider community. It's going to be an emotional final day, saying goodbye to everyone," she said. "Whatever this next chapter brings, my Nova family won't be far away." She went on to thank both of her co-hosts a she reflected on her time on the show, saying, "Thanks to Ash and Luttsy for bringing me into your world and life a bit over 10 years ago now, when I pretty much had nothing going on in my life to be honest." "I joked that it saved my life at the time. You were both so supportive of me. I was horrible at radio and I’d be upset and say, 'I can’t do it' and you would say, 'no, just keep going, just keep going'." Co-host Luttsy was quick to pay tribute to Susie, saying, "It's been an incredible adventure becoming great mates with you. Can't wait to see your next chapter." Before joining the world of radio in 2023 as a sports broadcaster, Susie rose to fame at the age of just 14, joining the Olympic team and going on to score 35 Australian titles and retiring after the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Image credits: Nova

Music

John Farnham's voice heard for the first time since throat surgery

John Farnham's voice has been heard for the first time since undergoing extensive surgery on his throat and jaw to treat his cancer in August 2022. The Aussie music legend is lending his voice to narrate the audio version of his new <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/health/caring/finally-felt-like-the-right-time-john-farnham-s-huge-announcement" target="_blank" rel="noopener">memoir</a> titled The Voice Inside, which is to be released on October 30th. The Morning Show's entertainment reporter Peter Ford broke the news that Farnham's voice would be heard for the first time in over two years, while playing an exclusive clip from the audio book. Ford said Farnham co-wrote the book with Poppy Stockwell, who directed his recent Logie-winning documentary The Voice Inside, saying the documentary was “brilliantly done,” and “obviously John feels safe and a great connection with her”. “So they’ve written it together now," Ford said. “We got the news that John was going to do the audio version of the book, and also his wife Jill will actually be writing two chapters.” <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DA17RsMNCTK/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DA17RsMNCTK/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by The Morning Show On 7 (@morningshowon7)</a> </div> </blockquote> Ford expressed his excitement over the clip, saying, “This is for the first time now in many years.” “We haven’t heard John. We haven’t seen John. We know what he’s been going through. So this is great for that reason." “He’s older and there has been some impact on his voice because of the surgery. But, you know, the delivery, the tone, the cheekiness, it’s all there. It’s instantly John Farnham.” “I‘m just thrilled to hear his voice and to think he’s doing something, and what a rollercoaster that would have been for him,” Ford says. “It’s one thing to sit down with Poppy and tell her the stories and share the memories, but to actually get behind a microphone and deliver it." “John, as we know, is a performer who always gives 120 per cent. He would have really been challenged, I think, in delivering some of those sadder stories of recent times.” Image credits: Getty Images / Facebook

Caring

Channel 7 star hospitalised over heart issue

Former Brisbane Lions AFLW star Kate McCarthy’s celebrations following the Brisbane Lions men’s AFL grand final victory were cut short after she was hospitalised due to an ongoing heart condition. McCarthy, 31, who played 42 games in the AFLW for the Brisbane Lions, St Kilda and Hawthorn across seven seasons before retiring, has been an active presence in the world of AFL even after stepping off the field. She currently serves as a commentator for Triple M and Channel 7, having provided coverage for Channel 7 during the AFL grand final weekend. McCarthy also co-hosts panel shows Armchair Experts and Talking W. Over the weekend, McCarthy celebrated the Lions’ dominant 60-point grand final win over the Sydney Swans and their AFLW team’s two-point victory over the Adelaide Crows, which pushed the women’s team to second place on the ladder. However, McCarthy took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday to reveal she had been hospitalised due to a heart-related issue, sharing a light-hearted post about the situation: “When the @brisbanelions & @lionsaflw double over the weekend sends you into ventricular tachycardia." Ventricular tachycardia is a condition where the heart beats faster than 100 beats per minute, causing a rapid and irregular rhythm. This can become life-threatening if left untreated, especially for individuals with underlying heart conditions. McCarthy’s heart issues are particularly dangerous due to her reliance on a pacemaker, which was implanted after she suffered from seizures as a child. At the age of five, McCarthy was diagnosed with an intermittent third-degree heart block, a condition where the electrical signals that control the heart’s rhythm fail to fire properly. After several seizures during her childhood, including a severe episode when she was 12, she underwent emergency surgery to install the pacemaker. Despite these health challenges, McCarthy’s sporting career has been nothing short of remarkable. She represented Queensland in cricket and touch footy and played for Australia in the latter before making her AFLW debut for the Lions in 2017. Her AFLW career highlights include being named an All-Australian and the Lions’ leading goal kicker in their inaugural season. McCarthy’s heart condition appears to be under control, with her pacemaker functioning as intended. While her health scare has been concerning, she reassured her followers that she is on the mend, humorously comparing her pacemaker’s performance to that of the Sydney Swans on grand final day. "On the mend now," McCarthy wrote, "but Monday night review shows pacemaker performing like the Swans on the big stage.” Images: Twitter (X)

Caring

Jimmy Barnes shares positive update after surgery

Jimmy Barnes has shared a heartwarming update on his health following his emergency hip surgery in August. While on the New Zealand leg of his tour in early August, the 68-year-old rockstar was taken to <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/health/caring/bad-news-jimmy-barnes-reveals-shocking-health-update" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hospital</a> after complaining of "unbearable pain", telling his fans, "The doctors have recommended a remedial medical procedure ASAP followed by some physio to address the issue." Now back at home with his family, Barnes shared that he is on the road to recovery with an update on his healing journey. Barnes said he has had his PICC line, a thin tube inserted through a vein in your arm to deliver medications and treatments directly to the larger veins near your heart, finally removed, meaning he can gain back some normalcy. Barnes said was living with a PICC line in his arm for the past six weeks to continue his treatment as an out patient. “It’s meant that I could leave hospital and continue most of my recovery at home,” he said on Instagram on Friday. “It’s been restricting and liberating at the same time." “This part of my recovery is now over and with the help of (doctors), nurses, physiotherapists, family, friends, you guys and my Jane, everything is on track.” Posing in front of a calendar with Cold Chisel dates, Barnes said rehearsing with the band again this week has “topped things off”. “I can even get back behind the wheel,” he said. “Aah! FREEDOM.” Image credits: Instagram

Caring

What’s the difference between a heart attack and cardiac arrest? One’s about plumbing, the other wiring

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/michael-todorovic-1210507">Michael Todorovic</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/bond-university-863">Bond University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/matthew-barton-1184088">Matthew Barton</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828">Griffith University</a> In July 2023, rising US basketball star Bronny James collapsed on the court during practice and was sent to hospital. The 18-year-old athlete, son of famous LA Lakers’ veteran LeBron James, had experienced a <a href="https://apnews.com/article/bronny-james-cardiac-arrest-3953eee8789e83f3cccfb6dd798bc54e">cardiac arrest</a>. Many media outlets incorrectly referred to the event as a “<a href="https://en.as.com/nba/lebron-james-son-bronny-plays-for-the-usc-trojans-for-the-first-time-since-suffering-a-heart-attack-n/">heart attack</a>” or used the terms interchangeably. A cardiac arrest and a heart attack are distinct yet overlapping concepts associated with the heart. With some background in <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKrgEv7-rVM&t=16s">how the heart works</a>, we can see how they differ and how they’re related. <h2>Understanding the heart</h2> The heart is a muscle that contracts to work as a pump. When it contracts it pushes blood – containing oxygen and nutrients – to all the tissues of our body. For the heart muscle to work effectively as a pump, it needs to be fed its own blood supply, delivered by the coronary arteries. If these arteries are blocked, the heart muscle doesn’t get the blood it needs. This can cause the heart muscle to become injured or die, and results in the heart not pumping properly. <h2>Heart attack or cardiac arrest?</h2> Simply put, a heart attack, technically known as a myocardial infarction, describes injury to, or death of, the heart muscle. A cardiac arrest, sometimes called a sudden cardiac arrest, is when the heart stops beating, or put another way, stops working as an effective pump. In other words, both relate to the heart not working as it should, but for different reasons. As we’ll see later, one can lead to the other. <h2>Why do they happen? Who’s at risk?</h2> Heart attacks typically result from blockages in the coronary arteries. Sometimes this is called coronary artery disease, but in Australia, we tend to refer to it as ischaemic heart disease. The underlying cause in about <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK507799/#:%7E:text=It%20has%20been%20reported%20that,increases%20beyond%20age%2050%20years.">75% of people</a> is a process called <a href="https://youtu.be/jwL4lkSlvSA?si=H2as7dQkhbIqWWkU">atherosclerosis</a>. This is where fatty and fibrous tissue build up in the walls of the coronary arteries, forming a plaque. The plaque can block the blood vessel or, in some instances, lead to the formation of a blood clot. Atherosclerosis is a long-term, stealthy process, with a number of risk factors that can sneak up on anyone. High blood pressure, high cholesterol, diet, diabetes, stress, and your genes have all been implicated in this plaque-building process. Other causes of heart attacks include spasms of the coronary arteries (causing them to constrict), chest trauma, or anything else that reduces blood flow to the heart muscle. Regardless of the cause, blocking or reducing the flow of blood through these pipes can result in the heart muscle not receiving enough oxygen and nutrients. So cells in the heart muscle can be injured or die. <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/597616/original/file-20240531-17-o2j0w.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/597616/original/file-20240531-17-o2j0w.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/597616/original/file-20240531-17-o2j0w.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/597616/original/file-20240531-17-o2j0w.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/597616/original/file-20240531-17-o2j0w.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/597616/original/file-20240531-17-o2j0w.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/597616/original/file-20240531-17-o2j0w.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/597616/original/file-20240531-17-o2j0w.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="Heart attack vs cardiac arrest" /></a><figcaption>Here’s a simple way to remember the difference. Author provided</figcaption></figure> But a cardiac arrest is the result of heartbeat irregularities, making it harder for the heart to pump blood effectively around the body. These heartbeat irregularities are generally due to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_soKG-Tzh0&t=903s">electrical malfunctions</a> in the heart. There are four distinct types: <ul> <li> ventricular tachycardia: a rapid and abnormal heart rhythm in which the heartbeat is more than <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10541285/">100 beats per minute</a> (normal adult, resting heart rate is generally 60-90 beats per minute). This fast heart rate prevents the heart from filling with blood and thus pumping adequately </li> <li> ventricular fibrillation: instead of regular beats, the heart quivers or “fibrillates”, resembling a bag of worms, resulting in an irregular heartbeat greater than 300 beats per minute </li> <li> pulseless electrical activity: arises when the heart muscle fails to generate sufficient pumping force after electrical stimulation, resulting in no pulse </li> <li> asystole: the classic flat-line heart rhythm you see in movies, indicating no electrical activity in the heart. </li> </ul> Cardiac arrest can arise from numerous underlying conditions, both heart-related and not, such as drowning, trauma, asphyxia, electrical shock and drug overdose. James’ cardiac arrest was attributed to a <a href="https://www.espn.com.au/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/38260006/bronny-james-cardiac-arrest-caused-congenital-heart-defect">congenital heart defect</a>, a heart condition he was born with. But among the many causes of a cardiac arrest, ischaemic heart disease, such as a heart attack, stands out as the most common cause, accounting <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11898927/">for 70%</a> of all cases. So how can a heart attack cause a cardiac arrest? You’ll remember that during a heart attack, heart muscle can be damaged or parts of it may die. This damaged or dead tissue can disrupt the heart’s ability to conduct electrical signals, increasing the risk of developing arrhythmias, possibly causing a cardiac arrest. So while a heart attack is a common cause of cardiac arrest, a cardiac arrest generally does not cause a heart attack. <h2>What do they look like?</h2> Because a cardiac arrest results in the sudden loss of effective heart pumping, the most common signs and symptoms are a sudden loss of consciousness, absence of pulse or heartbeat, stopping of breathing, and pale or blue-tinged skin. But the common signs and symptoms of a heart attack include chest pain or discomfort, which can show up in other regions of the body such as the arms, back, neck, jaw, or stomach. Also frequent are shortness of breath, nausea, light-headedness, looking pale, and sweating. <h2>What’s the take-home message?</h2> While both heart attack and cardiac arrest are disorders related to the heart, they differ in their mechanisms and outcomes. A heart attack is like a blockage in the plumbing supplying water to a house. But a cardiac arrest is like an electrical malfunction in the house’s wiring. Despite their different nature both conditions can have severe consequences and require immediate medical attention.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/229633/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/michael-todorovic-1210507">Michael Todorovic</a>, Associate Professor of Medicine, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/bond-university-863">Bond University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/matthew-barton-1184088">Matthew Barton</a>, Senior lecturer, School of Nursing and Midwifery, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828">Griffith University</a> Image credits: Shutterstock This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/whats-the-difference-between-a-heart-attack-and-cardiac-arrest-ones-about-plumbing-the-other-wiring-229633">original article</a>. </div>

Body

Constipation increases your risk of a heart attack, new study finds – and not just on the toilet

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/vincent-ho-141549">Vincent Ho</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/western-sydney-university-1092">Western Sydney University</a> If you Google the terms “constipation” and “heart attack” it’s not long before the name Elvis Presley crops up. Elvis had a longstanding history of chronic constipation and <a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/health/elvis-addiction-was-the-perfect-prescription-for-an-early-death">it’s believed</a> he was straining very hard to poo, which then led to a fatal heart attack. We don’t know what really happened to the so-called King of Rock “n” Roll back in 1977. There were likely several contributing factors to his death, and this theory is one of many. But after this famous case researchers took a strong interest in the link between constipation and the risk of a heart attack. This includes a recent <a href="https://journals.physiology.org/doi/abs/10.1152/ajpheart.00519.2024">study</a> led by Australian researchers involving data from thousands of people. <h2>Are constipation and heart attacks linked?</h2> Large <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-023-38068-y">population</a> <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32873621/">studies</a> show constipation is linked to an increased risk of heart attacks. For example, an <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-023-38068-y">Australian study</a> involved more than 540,000 people over 60 in hospital for a range of conditions. It found constipated patients had a higher risk of high blood pressure, heart attacks and strokes compared to non-constipated patients of the same age. A <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32873621/">Danish study</a> of more than 900,000 people from hospitals and hospital outpatient clinics also found that people who were constipated had an increased risk of heart attacks and strokes. It was unclear, however, if this relationship between constipation and an increased risk of heart attacks and strokes would hold true for healthy people outside hospital. These Australian and Danish studies also did not factor in the effects of drugs used to treat high blood pressure (hypertension), which can make you constipated. <h2>How about this new study?</h2> The recent <a href="https://journals.physiology.org/doi/abs/10.1152/ajpheart.00519.2024">international study</a> led by Monash University researchers found a connection between constipation and an increased risk of heart attacks, strokes and heart failure in a general population. The researchers analysed data from the <a href="https://www.ukbiobank.ac.uk">UK Biobank</a>, a database of health-related information from about half a million people in the United Kingdom. The researchers identified more than 23,000 cases of constipation and accounted for the effect of drugs to treat high blood pressure, which can lead to constipation. People with constipation (identified through medical records or via a questionnaire) were twice as likely to have a heart attack, stroke or heart failure as those without constipation. The researchers found a strong link between high blood pressure and constipation. Individuals with hypertension who were also constipated had a 34% increased risk of a major heart event compared to those with just hypertension. The study only looked at the data from people of European ancestry. However, there is good reason to believe the link between constipation and heart attacks applies to other populations. A <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26812003/">Japanese study</a> looked at more than 45,000 men and women in the general population. It found people passing a bowel motion once every two to three days had a higher risk of dying from heart disease compared with ones who passed at least one bowel motion a day. <h2>How might constipation cause a heart attack?</h2> Chronic constipation can lead to straining when passing a stool. This can result in <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8030287/">laboured breathing</a> and can lead to a rise in blood pressure. In <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8030287/">one Japanese study</a> including ten elderly people, blood pressure was high just before passing a bowel motion and continued to rise during the bowel motion. This increase in blood pressure lasted for an hour afterwards, a pattern not seen in younger Japanese people. <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8030287/">One theory</a> is that older people have stiffer blood vessels due to atherosclerosis (thickening or hardening of the arteries caused by a build-up of plaque) and other age-related changes. So their high blood pressure can persist for some time after straining. But the blood pressure of younger people returns quickly to normal as they have more elastic blood vessels. As blood pressure rises, the risk of heart disease increases. The risk of developing heart disease <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12493255/">doubles</a> when systolic blood pressure (the top number in your blood pressure reading) rises permanently by 20 mmHg (millimetres of mercury, a standard measure of blood pressure). The systolic blood pressure rise with straining in passing a stool has been <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8030287/">reported to be</a> as high as 70 mmHg. This rise is only temporary but with persistent straining in chronic constipation this could lead to an increased risk of heart attacks. <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22256893/">Some people</a> with chronic constipation may have an impaired function of their vagus nerve, which controls various bodily functions, including digestion, heart rate and breathing. This impaired function can result in abnormalities of heart rate and over-activation of the flight-fight response. This can, in turn, lead to elevated blood pressure. Another intriguing avenue of <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6399019/">research</a> examines the imbalance in gut bacteria in people with <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3596341/">constipation</a>. This imbalance, known as dysbiosis, can result in microbes and other substances leaking through the gut barrier into the bloodstream and triggering an immune response. This, in turn, can lead to low-grade inflammation in the blood circulation and arteries becoming stiffer, increasing the risk of a heart attack. This latest study also explored genetic links between constipation and heart disease. The researchers found shared genetic factors that underlie both constipation and heart disease. <h2>What can we do about this?</h2> Constipation affects around <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36826591/">19% of the global population</a> aged 60 and older. So there is a substantial portion of the population at an increased risk of heart disease due to their bowel health. Managing chronic constipation through dietary changes (particularly increased dietary fibre), increased physical activity, ensuring adequate hydration and using medications, if necessary, are all important ways to help improve bowel function and reduce the risk of heart disease.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/237209/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/vincent-ho-141549">Vincent Ho</a>, Associate Professor and clinical academic gastroenterologist, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/western-sydney-university-1092">Western Sydney University</a> Image credits: Shutterstock This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/constipation-increases-your-risk-of-a-heart-attack-new-study-finds-and-not-just-on-the-toilet-237209">original article</a>. </div>

Body

Jimmy Barnes shares heartwarming health update

Jimmy Barnes has shared a series of heartwarming updates following his emergency hip surgery earlier this month. While on the New Zealand leg of his tour in early August, the 68-year-old rockstar was taken to <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/health/caring/bad-news-jimmy-barnes-reveals-shocking-health-update" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hospital</a> after complaining of "unbearable pain", telling his fans, "The doctors have recommended a remedial medical procedure ASAP followed by some physio to address the issue." Now back at home with his family, Barnes has posted a series of messages to Instagram describing how thrilled he was to be out of hospital. “I can’t tell how great it feels to be back in my own bed, back to our home and the beautiful garden. Of course, being very spoilt,” he said on Monday. Barnes has also now commenced a high-protein diet and continued with his physio, which he said was “getting tougher”. “If I’m to be on a high-protein recovery diet, I’ve come to the right place,” he said of his wife Jane Barnes’ expert cooking skills. “I’m being loaded up with protein and iron to rebuild muscles that I never had,” he explained in an Instagram caption. He also shared a sweet photo with his grandchildren who have been keeping his spirits high during his recovery, writing alongside the photo, "Rosie and Dylan here to cheer me on at the end of the day. The physio is getting tougher and the protein shakes are growing on me. I sure am a lucky guy." When sharing the news of his surgery with his fans, he said, “Providing all goes to plan, I’m expected to make a full recovery in six weeks.” Image credits: Instagram

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"My heart is broken": Mariah Carey reveals sad double tragedy

Mariah Carey has revealed a devastating double tragedy, as both her mother and sister passed away on the same day. In a heartbreaking statement to <a href="https://people.com/mariah-carey-mom-patricia-sister-alison-both-died-same-day-exclusive-8701561" target="_blank" rel="noopener">People</a>, the singer announced the deaths of her mum Patricia, 87, and sister Alison, 63, who died over the weekend. Carey's statement read, "My heart is broken that I've lost my mother this past weekend. Sadly, in a tragic turn of events, my sister lost her life on the same day." "I feel blessed that I was able to spend the last week with my mom before she passed." "I appreciate everyone's love and support and respect for my privacy during this impossible time." No cause of death has been revealed for either member of the family. Carey famously had a turbulent relationship with her mother and sister over the years, and was estranged from Alison for three decades before her untimely death. In 2016, Alison, who was a recovering drug addict, made a plea to her famous sister through the Daily Mail to ask for support, saying, "Mariah I love you, I desperately need your help." As well as substance abuse, Alison endured homelessness throughout her life and tested positive for the HIV virus. Mariah opened up about complicated relationships with her mom and sister in her 2020 memoir, The Meaning Of Mariah Carey. "Like many aspects of my life, my journey with my mother has been full of contradictions and competing realities. It's never been only black-and-white — it's been a whole rainbow of emotions," she explained. She said their relationship was a "prickly rope of pride, pain, shame, gratitude, jealousy, admiration, and disappointment", however the book was still dedicated to Patricia. "And to Pat, my mother, who, through it all, I do believe actually did the best she could," the singer penned in the dedication. "I will love you the best I can, always." Image credits: Paul Archuleta/Shutterstock Editorial

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"My heart is broken": Mariah Carey reveals sad double tragedy

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