The American journal of medicine
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Previous comparisons of coronary heart disease mortality between Mexican Americans and non-Hispanic whites have given paradoxic results: despite their adverse cardiovascular risk profiles, especially a greater prevalence of diabetes, Mexican Americans are reported to have lower rates of mortality from coronary heart disease. ⋯ When community-wide mortality rates from coronary heart disease are properly validated, Mexican Americans have rates equal to or higher than those of non-Hispanic whites. Community-based surveillance with validation of coronary heart disease as the cause of death is necessary to avoid the errors that occur with the use of death certificates alone.
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Although sauna bathing causes various acute, transient cardiovascular and hormonal changes, it is well tolerated by most healthy adults and children. Sauna bathing does not influence fertility and is safe during the uncomplicated pregnancies of healthy women. Some studies have suggested that long-term sauna bathing may help lower blood pressure in patients with hypertension and improve the left ventricular ejection fraction in patients with chronic congestive heart failure, but additional data are needed to confirm these findings. ⋯ Contraindications to sauna bathing include unstable angina pectoris, recent myocardial infarction, and severe aortic stenosis. Sauna bathing is safe, however, for most people with coronary heart disease with stable angina pectoris or old myocardial infarction. Very few acute myocardial infarctions and sudden deaths occur in saunas, but alcohol consumption during sauna bathing increases the risk of hypotension, arrhythmia, and sudden death, and should be avoided.