DALLAS, TX--Sudden, unpredictable drops in personal income during young adulthood are associated with an increased risk of developing heart disease and/or dying from any cause, according to new research in the American Heart Association’s journal Circulation.

In the United States, the recent rise in income inequality suggests that a larger proportion of the population faces poverty and economic difficulties. In addition, while most people experience some income change, income volatility has been on the rise and has reached a record high level since 1980.

The results contribute important evidence to an ongoing controversy about whether or not MPH is associated with sudden cardiac death.

BUFFALO, NY-- With more than 1.8 million children in the U.S. being treated annually with drugs for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), the possibility that such drugs could damage their hearts has been a significant cause of concern for parents and physicians alike.

Now, the results of a long-term National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded study published last month in Pediatric Research could allay many of those concerns.

The obvious reason for the AED shortage is the fact these life-saving devices are, with a few exceptions, not legally required at most locations. But voluntary deployments are clearly not getting the job done on their own.

This is the second in a series of articles on the state of affairs in public access automated external defibrillators (AEDs) and the challenges and opportunities we face in deploying them for optimum community preparedness. For the first, see "Squad Goals: Moving the Needle on Sudden Cardiac Arrest Requires a New Model." (October 2018 OH&S).

Reuse and recycle. Americans employ the concept on nearly everything. Now, medical researchers are working hard to apply it to pacemakers and defibrillators.

Millions of sick people in low-income nations suffer or die each year because they can't afford these implantable medical devices that could help regulate their heartbeat. Researchers argue that many people could be saved if they had access to the tens of thousands of pacemakers and defibrillators removed annually from Americans who have either died or received an upgraded device.

NOTE: The following article was originally published in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and states there is a high risk of both heart attacks and cardiac arrest at Christmastime. However, the original article it references, which appeared in the British Medical Journal, refers to heart attacks only. While heart attacks can lead to sudden cardiac arrest, they are very different conditions, requiring different responses. We apologize for any confusion.

Shareef O’Neal, son of NBA Hall of Famer Shaquille, appears to be doing well after undergoing heart surgery Thursday.

Research shows that women are less likely to receive bystander CPR in public

DALLAS, TX--A new American Heart Association video spotlights the crucial role of bystander CPR among women in light of research findings that show gender disparities in bystander CPR response in public. The powerful video, produced by the American Heart Association, in conjunction with Anthem Foundation, looks to encourage millennial women to learn Hands-Only CPR because they may serve as a first responder if they witness an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.

Starting today, the ECG app on Apple Watch Series 4 marks the first direct-to-consumer product that enables customers to take an electrocardiogram right from their wrist, capturing heart rhythm in a moment when they experience symptoms like a rapid or skipped heart beat and helping to provide critical data to physicians. The irregular rhythm notification feature on Apple Watch can now also occasionally check heart rhythms in the background and send a notification if an irregular heart rhythm that appears to be atrial fibrillation (AFib) is identified.

Maggie Dixon, a 28-year-old women’s basketball coach at the United States Military Academy, led the West Point team to its first appearance in the NCAA Basketball Tournament. Four weeks later, Maggie died suddenly, leaving behind a devastated family and a group of heartbroken players. Despite their tragic loss, friends, family, and team members took comfort in knowing that the values Maggie instilled in themselves and others would live on.

TRENTON, NJ--To protect the lives of New Jersey's hotel patrons, Assembly Members Joann Downey, Eric Houghtaling and Gabriela Mosquera have sponsored legislation ensuring hotels have automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in the most populated areas of hotels. The bill cleared the Assembly Gaming, Tourism and the Arts Committee Monday.

"We must do everything in our abilities to protect the lives of New Jersey's residents," said Downey, D-Monmouth. "As shown by the tragic death of Michael Anthony Fornicola, AEDs can mean the difference between life and death, and this bill is in the interest of all New Jerseyans."