Ageing heart can be prevented, say scientists

HONG KONG, (Reuters) – Scientists in Japan said they  have uncovered evidence that shows it may be possible to delay  or prevent heart failure in humans. In a paper published in the journal Circulation, Tetsuo  Shioi, lead researcher and assistant professor of medicine at  Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine in Kyoto, and his  team described how they managed to suppress a variety of the  P13K gene in a group of elderly mice.  

The gene regulates the lifespan of cells and plays a role  in the ageing of tissues. In previous studies, suppression of  this gene extended the lifespan of the roundworm and kept the  hearts of old fruit flies healthy.