Acupuncture found to normalize blood pressure rates
Dr. John Longhurst, a cardiologist and director of UCI’s Susan Samueli Center for Integrative Medicine, has found that acupuncture can normalize blood pressure and complement treatments for cardiovascular patients. Center researchers can show how acupuncture combined with low levels of electrical stimulation lowers blood pressure by as much as 40 percent. In treating patients, they also found weekly 30-minute acupuncture sessions will give substantial blood pressure reductions of 15-25 points in three to four weeks. Acupuncture is a 3,000-year-old form of Chinese medicine that involves inserting needles at specific points on the body to help cure disease or relieve pain. Contact: Tom Vasich, 949-824-6455 or tmvasich@uci.edu

UC Irvine “steps up” for employee health
Courtney Burkes, assistant director of fitness and wellness at UCI, oversees programs that have enrolled more than one-third of the university’s 9,000 faculty and staff members. Corporate wellness programs are springing up as viable ways for large employers to promote healthier lifestyles. In its third year, “Step Up UCI” is a pedometer-based walking program that offers milestone-based prizes. Newer programs, “Fuel Up UCI” and “Pump Up UCI,” focus on nutrition and resistance training. “These programs are beneficial for all employees; they increase  productivity and job satisfaction, while at the same time decreasing sick days,” Burkes says. Contact: Courtney Burkes, 949-824-6497 or cburkes@uci.edu. Web site: www.campusrec.uci.edu/stepup. Additional contact: Tom Vasich, 949-824-6455 or tmvasich@uci.edu

Heart Disease Prevention Program leads the way for cardiac health
Nathan Wong, Ph.D., director of the UC Irvine Heart Disease Prevention Program, has added to our understanding of the factors that impact cardiac health. Over the past two decades, he and fellow program researchers have helped show that persons with metabolic syndrome have greater risk of dying, demonstrated coronary artery calcium to be important in identifying risk for heart disease, and documented major gaps in diabetes and hypertension control. The center also conducts clinical studies on heart disease prevention for specific high-risk populations. Wong, author of the widely used textbook Preventive Cardiology (McGraw Hill), can talk about practical methods for heart disease prevention. Contact: Tom Vasich, 949-824-6455 or tmvasich@uci.edu. Website: www.heart.uci.edu

Heart imaging and early detection
Dr. Jagat Narula, chief of the Division of Cardiology, conducts clinical and basic research on prevention and detection of heart failure, a chronic condition that occurs when a weakened heart can no longer effectively pump blood. More than 5 million Americans are living with heart failure, and 550,000 new cases are diagnosed each year. Narula has helped develop new noninvasive imaging techniques that can better identify patients who are likely to suffer from heart attacks. Under his leadership, UCI opened the Cardiovascular Imaging Center for Education and Research, where practicing cardiologists are trained in the latest imaging technologies, such as the 64-slice CT scanner. This scanner freeze-frames images of the heart while it is beating and produces high-resolution images in less than 10 seconds. The detailed images enable doctors to examine the heart from every angle and discover blood-vessel blockages and other heart problems. Contact: Susan Mancia, 714-456-3640, smancia@uci.edu

Women and heart disease
Dr. Dawn Lombardo, cardiologist and director of the Heart Failure Program at UC Irvine Medical Center, focuses on women’s health and heart disease. “Four in 10 female deaths in the U.S. result from heart disease,” Lombardo says. “In most cases the causes, symptoms and treatments are similar in women and in men; but there are key differences, including the average age of onset and quality of life considerations.” Lombardo seeks to raise awareness of heart disease among women of all ages and increase representation of women in clinical trials. “More gender-specific research is needed in the area of heart disease, because the accuracy of diagnostic tests and efficacy of new drugs and devices can change when applied to women,” Lombardo says. Contact: Susan Mancia, 714-456-3640, smancia@uci.edu

Pregnancy and heart health
Dr. Afshan Hameed, associate clinical professor in the Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, is an expert at diagnosing heart problems in older mothers and their fetuses. She is one of few cardiologists in the country who also is an obstetrician-gynecologist. Her expertise enables her to recognize signs of cardiovascular disease during the early stages of pregnancy as well as heart problems in the fetus. Contact: Susan Mancia, 714-456-3640, smancia@uci.edu

Love and Relationships

How does stress affect your heart rate?
Researchers in UCI’s Department of Psychology & Social Behavior are studying how mood affects heart rate. The study should appeal to anyone who wonders how interactions with a spouse, friends, children and parents affect their heart health. Participants will wear a heart-rate monitor and keep an electronic diary of simple health signs. Researchers will look at how interpersonal conflict relates to cardiovascular risk. The study is open to men and women in good health between 26 and 45 years in age. This is a collaborative study between UCI and Columbia University funded by the National Heart Lung & Blood Institute. For information, call 877-764-4545.

Couple dynamics, work/life balance 
Joy Pixley, assistant professor of sociology, studies how career hierarchy plays out in married and cohabiting couples. Pixley looks at whether the woman’s or man’s career is considered more important and how this prioritization affects couples over time. Pixley also studies work-life balance and the decisions young adults make about education, careers, committing to a partner and having children. Contact: Joy Pixley, 949-824-3235 or jpixley@uci.edu  

Health, friends and loneliness in late life
Karen Rook, professor of psychology & social behavior, studies the friendships and family relationships of older adults. Rook can comment on social network “substitution” following the loss of a spouse through death or divorce, and to what extent these new relationships compensate for those that were lost. Rook also studies how spouses help or hinder their partners’ efforts to practice good health habits, particularly in the context of chronic illness that requires sustained behavioral change. Rook also is interested in the causes and consequences of loneliness in young adults and older adults. Contact: Karen Rook, 949-824-7069 or ksrook@uci.edu