Dr. Charles Hennekens isn’t the best-known alumnus of Queens College, whose roster of graduates includes entertainment legends Paul Simon and Jerry Seinfeld. Even most of the hundreds of thousands of people whose lives he has saved probably don’t know his name. But folks at Queens College long have been proud of their former two-sport star and Phi Beta Kappa member of the Class of 1963 who became a world-renowned scientist; and the pride has been mutual for more than half a century. Hennekens, an epidemiologist and preventive medicine specialist, was the first researcher to clinically prove that aspirin could prevent heart attacks, and sometimes save the life of the patient if given during or shortly after a cardiac episode. Never hesitant to give academic scholarships to Queens College, Cornell, Harvard or any other school in which he studied, Hennekens was honored by his original alma mater on Oct. 17 in recognition of a recent gift he bestowed on the school’s athletic program. The doctor said he was honored and humbled last week when the school dedicated its baseball field as Hennekens Stadium in the presence of his family and friends and former teammates Harry Kent and Jeff Hollander. Kent donated new dugouts in his name and Hollander’s. “Queens College helped hone me,” Hennekens said Monday night in an interview from his home in Boca Raton, Fla., where he now teaches in an endowed position at the Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine at Florida Atlantic University. “Queens College prepared me so well. … It was a great experience in academics and athletics,” he said. “And I believe the saying that to whom much has been given, much is expected.” “This is a first for our Department of Athletics here at Queens College,” said China Jude, assistant vice president of athletics, in a statement from the school. “Dr. Hennekens is one of the many talented scholar-athletes to pass through our doors. We appreciate his generous gift, his serving as an athletics volunteer and his research and scholarship that have profoundly impacted countless lives.” The Brooklyn native moved to Bell Boulevard when he was 10 “before the Long Island Expressway, before the Clearview.”He credits his parents with instilling the drive for an education — and for giving back.He first attended the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, where he was studying to be an actuary.The pull toward medicine was too strong, and he came back to Queens after one year, majoring in biology so that he could get in all the biology and chemistry classes that he lacked for a pre-med track.“One year I was taking biology classes on Saturdays, along with my [regular courses] plus playing basketball and baseball.” His baseball highlight came one day Queens beat a heavily favored NYU, a day he got four hits, stole some bases and scored a few runs. A pro scout who was on hand to follow a teammate asked if Hennekens was interested in playing pro ball.“I said ‘Sure!’” he recalled. ‘I’m still waiting for that phone call back after 53 years.” On the hardcourt, he had a 27-point game in a post-season tournament against heavily favored St. Francis College of Brooklyn.“A highlight because we lost by four when we were supposed to lose by 25,” he said.Hennekens in 1963 received the school’s Regan-Stein Award as basketball’s most valuable player, and the Long Island Press Athlete-Scholar Award. Then it was off to Cornell School of Medicine. Becoming eligible for the compulsory draft, he was able to land a prestigious and highly coveted assignment with the Centers for Disease Control. After leaving the service he joined the faculty at Harvard, where his wife was studying. With a one-year interruption to attend Oxford University in London, his career at Harvard would last 30 years, a period that would see him named as the school’s first John Snow and the first Eugene Braunwald professor at the medical school. He also would serve as the first chief of preventive medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. And the next time you see a certain aspirin company run an ad touting its benefits in preventing heart attacks, remember Paul Simon’s former classmate.The publication “Science Heroes” said he began a study in 1982 with more than 20,000 test subjects after some data he discovered in an unrelated study. “Harvard had done a study that showed people taking aspirin had a lower risk of dying from heart attacks,” he said. “But it wasn’t a random trial.”His own study began with half of the subjects taking aspirin daily and the rest taking placebos.The data collected about halfway through the 10-year study brought an almost unprecedented order from the National Institutes of Health, which funded the study through a grant.“They told me not to continue with the placebos, that it would be unethical to continue,” he said. “The benefit was so large we discontinued the placebo group and gave everyone aspirin.”Queens College quotes “Science Heroes” as listing Hennekens 81st for “Most Lives Saved in History.” The school also touted his research on health-promoting drug therapies and positive lifestyle changes related to smoking and obesity.Hennekens also has given scholarships to Wharton, Cornell and Harvard, institutions he says also honed him as a person. In his late 30s, the good doctor took up squash and achieved the No. 4 national ranking in his age group in 1982.And to date, he is the only person to be honored by Queens College in both its Achievement and Athletic Halls of Fame.“Out of about 150,000 graduates there are about 40 in the athletic hall of fame and about 100 in the Achievement,” he said. “Do the math …” And as unabashedly proud as he is of his Queens College lineage, he does have a favorite story from the late 1990s when both he and Simon, also from the Class of ’63, were about to be honored by the school.“He asked me if I remembered him,” Hennekens said. “I said, ‘I remember you sitting on the steps of the … library playing your guitar; but I was pre-med and playing two sports and I barely had time to breathe much less study.’ “He said he played baseball at Forest Hills High School and that he tried out for the team but was told he was too small, and that he followed the team,” Hennekens said.“He said ‘I wanted to be just like you.’ I told him he wound up turning the tables on me.” Charles H. Hennekens, M.D., Dr.P.H. Boca Raton, FL 33431 Charles E Schmidt College of Medicine Florida Atlantic University Harvard University http://www.charleshennekensmd.com/about-charles-hennekens.html http://www.charleshennekensmd.org/ http://www.charleshennekensmd.net/ https://plus.google.com/+CharlesHennekens http://charleshennekensmd.blogspot.com https://twitter.com/CHennekensMD https://pinterest.com/chennekensmd http://www.tumblr.com/blog/charleshennekensmd http://www.merchantcircle.com/business/Charles.H.Hennekens.MD.561-297-4074 ...read more

FAU Researchers in the Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine Publish Sobering Statistics on Physical Inactivity in the U.S. BOCA RATON, Fla. (August XX, 2015) – What do a renowned physiologist and two-time survivor of pancreatic cancer as well as a world-renowned researcher whose landmark discoveries on aspirin, drug therapies of proven benefit and therapeutic lifestyle changes, which have saved more than 1.1 million lives, have in common? They are both passionate about the importance of regular physical activity in reducing risks of dying from heart attacks and strokes, as well as developing diabetes, hypertension, and colon cancer, and enhancing mental health and fostering healthy muscles, bones and joints in all Americans from childhood to the elderly. Steven Lewis, Ph.D., visiting professor in the Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine at Florida Atlantic University, and Charles H. Hennekens, M.D., Dr.P.H., the first Richard Doll Professor and senior academic advisor to the dean in FAU’s College of Medicine, have published a commentary online ahead of print in  the American Journal of Medicine titled “Regular Physical Activity: Forgotten Benefits.” In the commentary, they stress how lack of physical activity in Americans poses important clinical, public health and fiscal challenges for the nation. “Lack of physical activity accounts for 22 percent of coronary heart disease, 22 percent of colon cancer, 18 percent of osteoporotic fractures, 12 percent of diabetes and hypertension, and five percent of breast cancer,” said Hennekens. “Furthermore, physical inactivity accounts for about 2.4 percent of U.S. healthcare expenditures or approximately $24 billion a year.” The statistics of physical inactivity in the U.S. are staggering and quite the eye opener. According to Healthy People 2020, approximately 36 percent of adults do not engage in any leisure-time physical activity, despite the fact that walking may be comparable to more vigorous exercise in preventing a cardiovascular event. Even in patients who have had a heart attack and who undergo cardiac rehabilitation, it’s estimated that less than 15 percent actually participate in cardiac rehabilitation following discharge. Men and women who engage in regular physical activity experience statistically significant and clinically important reductions in the risk of dying from coronary heart disease, the leading cause of death in the U.S. The authors point out that brisk walking every day for only 20 minutes, which can be practiced even among the oldest adults, confers a 30 to 40 percent reduced risk of a heart attack.   “There’s a lot more that we can do to address this national epidemic among people of all ages,” said Lewis. “For example, clinicians should screen and refer obese patients to programs that offer intensive counseling for weight control and physical activity. This simple, straightforward and easily achievable objective may be the first necessary step to lower rates of obesity and physical inactivity in the U.S. today.” Patients commonly ask their physicians “what exercise should I do?” “how long should I do the exercise, how often and how hard do I need to exercise?” The authors emphasize the need for better defined guidelines for the types, intensities, frequencies and durations of exercise for clinicians to provide to their patients. “Unfortunately, most Americans prefer prescription of pills to proscription of harmful lifestyles such as physical inactivity,” said Hennekens. “In general, any pharmacologic intervention should be an adjunct, not alternative, to therapeutic lifestyle changes such as increasing levels of physical activity. Based on the current totality of evidence, when compared with most pharmacologic therapies, exercise is more readily available at a low cost and relatively free of adverse effect.” Both Lewis and Hennekens practice what they preach and participate in daily physical activity. Lewis had a miraculous recovery, beating all odds by surviving two bouts of pancreatic cancer, the first in 2007 and a recurrence in the liver almost three years later. He persevered with major surgeries, radiation treatments and chemotherapy. He attributes part of this success to maintaining an extremely positive attitude and a vigorous lifestyle that includes exercising regularly to maintain a high level of physical fitness and health. Hennekens was inducted into the Queens College Athletic Hall of Fame and was the first to be inducted into both the Achievement Hall Fame as well as the Athletic Hall of Fame. From 1995 to 2005, according to Science Watch, Hennekens was the third most widely cited researcher in the world and five of the top 20 were his former fellows and/or trainees. In 2012, Science Heroes ranked Hennekens No. 81 in the history of the world for having saved more than 1.1 million lives, which placed him two ahead of professor Jonas Salk ranked No. 83 for the development of the polio vaccine. In 2013, he received the “Fries Prize for Improving Health” and in 2014, he received the Alton Ochsner Award for his pioneering work on smoking and health. In 2015, he was ranked the No. 14 “Top Scientist in the World” based on his H-index of 173. Hennekens has also just been appointed by  President John Kelly to FAU’s Intercollegiate Athletics Committee. About Florida Atlantic University: Florida Atlantic University, established in 1961, officially opened its doors in 1964 as the fifth public university in Florida. Today, the University, with an annual economic impact of $6.3 billion, serves more than 30,000 undergraduate and graduate students at sites throughout its six-county service region in southeast Florida. FAU’s world-class teaching and research faculty serves students through 10 colleges: the Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, the College of Business, the College for Design and Social Inquiry, the College of Education, the College of Engineering and Computer Science, the Graduate College, the Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, the Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing and the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science. FAU is ranked as a High Research Activity institution by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. The University is placing special focus on the rapid development of critical areas that form the basis of its strategic plan: Healthy aging, biotech, coastal and marine issues, neuroscience, regenerative medicine, informatics, lifespan and the environment. These areas provide opportunities for faculty and students to build upon FAU’s existing strengths in research and scholarship. For more information, visitwww.fau.edu. Charles H. Hennekens, M.D., Dr.P.H. Boca Raton, FL 33431 Charles E Schmidt College of Medicine Florida Atlantic University Harvard University http://www.charleshennekensmd.com/about-charles-hennekens.html http://www.charleshennekensmd.org/ http://www.charleshennekensmd.net/ https://plus.google.com/+CharlesHennekens http://charleshennekensmd.blogspot.com https://twitter.com/CHennekensMD https://pinterest.com/chennekensmd http://www.tumblr.com/blog/charleshennekensmd http://www.merchantcircle.com/business/Charles.H.Hennekens.MD.561-297-4074 ...read more

Emerging Concepts in Lipid Modification in the Treatment and Prevention of Heart Attacks and Strokes BOCA RATON, FL (July 20, 2015) — Charles H.  Hennekens, M.D, Dr.P.H., the first Sir Richard Doll professor and senior academic advisor to the dean, Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine at Florida Atlantic University, delivered the inauguaral invited addrerss to the Puerto Rican Society of Cardiology in Fajardo on July 17, 2015. His lecture was based, in part, on his recently published invited editorial with Marc A. Pfeffer, MD,PhD, Dzau Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School  in the current issue of  Trends in Cardiovascular Medicine  about guidance for clinicians based on the most recent updated guidelines to address the clinical and public health challenges to increase utilization of statins in the treatment and prevention of heart attacks and strokes.  His lecture was also based on an invited chapter he has coauthored with Eric Lieberman, MD and Mark Rubenstein, MD, both affiliate faculty as well as Professors David DeMets and Marc Pfeffer. In November 2013 at their national meeting, the American Heart Association, in collaboration with the American College of Cardiology and the United States National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute presented and published their new guidelines for the use of statins in the treatment and prevention of heart attacks and strokes. In their invited editorial, Hennekens and Pfeffer state that any such guidelines are a necessary, but not sufficient basis for the astute clinical judgment of a clinician for each of his or her patients. They provide guiding principles to aid clinicians to make the best judgment about whether to prescribe a statins after consideration of the totality of evidence which includes the entire risk profile of the patient as well as the benefits and risks of the drug. They reemphasize that the totality of randomized evidence indicates that there is no threshold for low density lipoprotein cholesterol below which there are no net benefits of statins.  These issues in the treatment and prevention of heart attacks and strokes present new and emerging clinical challenges to healthcare providers to more widely prescribe statins in the treatment and prevention of heart attacks and strokes.  “The evidence indicates clearly that the  more widespread and appropriate utilization of statins, as adjuncts, not alternatives to therapeutic lifestyle chnges, will yield net benefits in the treatment and prevention of heart attacks and strokes, including  among high, medium and low risk patients unwilling or unable to adopt therapeutic lifestyle changes,” said Hennekens.   According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, heart disease is the leading killer among U.S. men and women, causing approximately 600,000 deaths each year. In 2012, Science Heroes ranked Hennekens No. 81 in the history of the world for having saved more than 1.1 million lives.  From 1995-2005, Science Watch ranked Hennekens as the third most widely cited medical researcher in the world, and five of the top 20 were his former trainees and/or fellows.   About Florida Atlantic University: Florida Atlantic University, established in 1961, officially opened its doors in 1964 as the fifth public university in Florida. Today, the University, with an annual economic impact of $6.3 billion, serves more than 30,000 undergraduate and graduate students at sites throughout its six-county service region in southeast Florida. FAU’s world-class teaching and research faculty serves students through 10 colleges: the Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, the College of Business, the College for Design and Social Inquiry, the College of Education, the College of Engineering and Computer Science, the Graduate College, the Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, the Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing and the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science. FAU is ranked as a High Research Activity institution by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. The University is placing special focus on the rapid development of three signature themes – marine and coastal issues, biotechnology and contemporary societal challenges – which provide opportunities for faculty and students to build upon FAU’s existing strengths in research and scholarship. For more information, visitwww.fau.edu. Charles H. Hennekens, M.D., Dr.P.H. Boca Raton, FL 33431 Charles E Schmidt College of Medicine Florida Atlantic University Harvard University http://www.charleshennekensmd.com/about-charles-hennekens.html http://www.charleshennekensmd.org/ http://www.charleshennekensmd.net/ https://plus.google.com/+CharlesHennekens http://charleshennekensmd.blogspot.com https://twitter.com/CHennekensMD https://pinterest.com/chennekensmd http://www.tumblr.com/blog/charleshennekensmd http://www.merchantcircle.com/business/Charles.H.Hennekens.MD.561-297-4074 ...read more