Safflower oil 'reduces chance of heart disease'

People could stave of heart disease by consuming a dose of safflower oil each day, research has shown, which could make them less likely to need home care.

Researchers at Ohio State University found improved cholesterol, blood sugar, insulin sensitivity and inflammation in obese postmenopausal women with type 2 diabetes, when they took a daily dose of safflower oil for 16 weeks.

These improved factors are associated with metabolic syndrome, which is a cluster of symptoms known to increase the risk for cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

Lead author Martha Belury explained that the women in the study added the oil to what they were already eating rather than using it to replace other elements of their diet.

"And that says to me that certain people need a little more of this type of good fat – particularly when they're obese women who already have diabetes," she said.

This follows new that an anti-inflammatory medication could be used to treat heart disease patients who may require home care.

A study published in journal Circulation found that a particular inflammatory factor could be important in the development of heart valve disease aortic stenosis, indicating that this type of drug could be used to treat the condition.

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