Napping to aHealthier Heart?

1 Researchers saythey have developed a simple test that can tell if a person with heart diseaseis likely to suffer a heart attack.The test measures levels of a protein in the

blood.Theresearchers say people with high levels of this protein are at high risk ofheart attack,heart failure or stroke.

2 KirstenBibbins-Domingo of the University of California in San Francisco led the team.For about four years,theystudied almost one thousand patients with heart

disease.Theresearchers tested the heart disease patients for a protein calledNT-proBNP.Patients with the highest levels were nearly eight times more likelythan those with

the lowest levels tohave a heart attack,heart failure or stroke.

3 The researcherssay the presence of high levels of the protein in the blood shows that theheart muscle is under pressure in some way.The study involved mostly men,so the

researchers couldnot say for sure that the results are also true for women.They say the patientswith the highest levels of NT-proBNP were older and had other problems like

diabetes or highblood pressure.

4 Other researcherssay more studies are needed to confirm if knowing the protein levels of a heartdisease patient should affect that person's treatment.They also would like

to know if moreaggressive treatment could reduce the patient's chance of a heart attack orstroke.The study appeared in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

5 Could a littlesleep during the middle of the day reduce the risk of a heart attack?Anunrelated study earlier this month in the Archives of Internal Medicinesuggests that the

answer may be yes.Incountries like the United States,afternoon naps are mostly for children.Butthey are common for adults in Mediterranean countries.And these countries

generally have lowerrates of heart disease.So scientists in the United States and Greece wondered if naps could playa part.Twenty-three thousand healthy adults took part in

the study by Harvard Universityand the University of Athens.Those who tookthirty-minute naps three times a week had a thirty-seven percent lower risk ofdeath from heart

problems than peoplewho did not take naps.

6 The researcherssay napping may improve heart health by reducing stress.They say the researchsuggests that naps are especially good for working men.But they say not

enough femalesubjects died during the study to judge the benefits for women.Paragraph 3______

A.More Questions toBe Asked

B.Older Males HaveHigher Levels of NT-proBNP

C.Development of aSimple But Important Test

D.Evidence ofPositive Relationship Between Napping and Heart Disease

E.How to Control theLevels of NT-proBNP