Staying hydrated may help reduce long-term risks for heart failure: Study

Researchers have found that drinking enough water and staying hydrated may reduce the risk of severe heart problems in the future. The findings of the research were published in the 'European Heart Journal'.Heart failure, a chronic condition that develops when the heart does not pump enough blood for the body's needs, affects more than 6.2 million Americans, a little more than 2 per cent of the population. It is also more common among adults ages 65 and older.

"Similar to reducing salt intake, drinking enough water and staying hydrated are ways to support our hearts and may help reduce long-term risks for heart disease," said Natalia Dmitrieva, PhD, the lead study author and a researcher in the Laboratory of Cardiovascular Regenerative Medicine at the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), part of NIH.