Genes and lifestyle factors together play a role in stroke risk. However, even for people at high risk for stroke, adopting a healthy cardiovascular lifestyle may significantly lower the risk of stroke in their lifetime, according to new research published today in the Journal of the American Heart Association, an open access, peer-reviewed journal of the American… Continue reading A Healthy Lifestyle Can Reduce Stroke Risk
Category: Heart Health
Your heart keeps your body running. And we keep you on top of everything you need to know about heart health so that you’re in the know.
Most Americans Aren’t Heart Healthy
About 80% of people in the U.S. have low to moderate cardiovascular health based on the American Heart Association’s new Life’s Essential 8™ checklist according to a new study published in Circulation, the Association’s flagship, peer-reviewed journal. Life’s Essential 8™, also published today in Circulation, details the Association’s updated guidance to measure cardiovascular health, adding healthy sleep as… Continue reading Most Americans Aren’t Heart Healthy
New Numbers for Omega-3 Fatty Acids
About 3 grams daily of omega-3 fatty acids, consumed in foods or supplements, appears to be the optimal daily dose to help lower blood pressure, according to a research review published in June 2022 in the Journal of the American Heart Association, an open access, peer-reviewed journal of the American Heart Association (AHA). Omega-3 fatty… Continue reading New Numbers for Omega-3 Fatty Acids
The Importance of Summer Safety
Summer brings rest, relaxation and fun, but it can also be a time of increased risk for our hearts. Extreme heat may increase incidents of cardiac arrest, and an average of 33 drownings occur in the U.S. each day, one-third of which are fatal. Each year, more than 350,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests (OHCA] occur in… Continue reading The Importance of Summer Safety
Is Aspirin Right for You?
A panel of medical professors has issued a final recommendation on taking aspirin as a preventive measure against heart attack or stroke, saying the drug should not be automatically prescribed to certain groups of patients. The recommendation from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force said that people aged 40 to 59 who are at higher… Continue reading Is Aspirin Right for You?
How to Use A Home Blood Pressure Monitor
Puzzled or intimidated by taking your blood pressure at home? The American Heart Association (AHA) offers the following tips: Be still. Don’t smoke, drink caffeinated beverages or exercise within 30 minutes before measuring your blood pressure. Empty your bladder and ensure at least 5 minutes of quiet rest before measurements. Sit correctly. Sit with your… Continue reading How to Use A Home Blood Pressure Monitor
Avocados and Heart Health
Eating two or more servings of avocado weekly was associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, and substituting avocado for certain fat-containing foods like butter, cheese or processed meats was associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease events, according to new research published in March 2022 in the Journal of the American Heart… Continue reading Avocados and Heart Health
The Problem with “Springing Forward”
According to the American Heart Association (AHA), scientific research supports the view that losing an hour of much needed sleep may not be the only thing to dread about “springing forward” when clocks move up for daylight saving time later this month. The time change may also negatively impact your heart and brain health. The… Continue reading The Problem with “Springing Forward”
Sexual Violence and Hypertension
Compared with women who had never experienced any type of trauma, women who had experienced sexual assault at any point in their lifetime were more likely to develop high blood pressure, as were women who had experienced workplace sexual harassment. Women who had experienced both sexual assault and harassment had the highest risk of developing… Continue reading Sexual Violence and Hypertension
Fighting High Cholesterol with Statins
You go to the gym faithfully, and you try to watch your diet. But after your annual physical, you find out that your blood cholesterol is surprisingly high. Your doctor calls you back to discuss taking a medication known as a statin. Here, in a Consumer Update, the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) answeres… Continue reading Fighting High Cholesterol with Statins
How To Have a Heart-Healthy 2022
Making New Year’s resolutions is a time-honored tradition, but sometimes those resolutions are easier to make than to keep. The American Heart Association has tips and resources to help you set goals you can keep all year long. “The new year is a time many people commit to making a new, healthy start – we… Continue reading How To Have a Heart-Healthy 2022
Heart Failure and African-Americans
Researchers have linked a rare genetic mutation found mostly in Black Americans and other people of African descent to an earlier onset of heart failure and a higher risk of hospitalization. The findings suggest that earlier screening for the mutation could lead to faster treatment and improved outcomes for heart failure in this vulnerable group,… Continue reading Heart Failure and African-Americans
Stroke Survivors and Seizures
Nearly one in 10 stroke survivors will experience a seizure, which is why the Epilepsy Foundation and the American Stroke Association, a division of the American Heart Association, have teamed up to educate stroke caregivers and their loved ones about how to recognize both stroke and seizures as medical emergencies and what to do in… Continue reading Stroke Survivors and Seizures
What Do You Know about OTC Pain Relievers?
While nearly half of U.S. adults have high blood pressure (HBP), only 29% think over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers may make the condition worse, according to a recent survey commissioned by the American Heart Association (AHA). High blood pressure, according to the AHA’s 2017 Guideline for the Prevention, Detection, Evaluation and Management of High Blood Pressure,… Continue reading What Do You Know about OTC Pain Relievers?
Heart Attacks, the Brain and Bone Marrow
People with recent heart attacks have significantly higher activity in the amygdala, the brain area involved in stress perception and emotional response, along with greater inflammation in arteries resulting from increased bone marrow activity, a hallmark of plaque build-up. But these levels are not permanent: In fact, they can all return to near-normal, experts said.… Continue reading Heart Attacks, the Brain and Bone Marrow
At Home with Blood Pressure Tests
Adults who needed to track their blood pressure regularly to confirm or refute a hypertension diagnosis preferred monitoring blood pressure at home versus at a clinic, kiosk or with a 24-hour wearable device, according to preliminary research presented today at the American Heart Association’s Hypertension Scientific Sessions 2021. The September 2021 meeting is the premier… Continue reading At Home with Blood Pressure Tests
The Unknown Heart-Attack Factor
More than 40% of adults ages 50 to 64 years in Sweden without known heart disease were found to have some degree of atherosclerosis, according to a new study published this month (September 2021) in the American Heart Association’s flagship journal Circulation. Atherosclerosis, or the buildup of fatty deposits in blood vessels that supply blood… Continue reading The Unknown Heart-Attack Factor
Statins and Side Effects
Among patients who stopped taking their cholesterol-lowering statin medication due to side effects, researchers found the statin may not have been the culprit: Patients taking a placebo reported the same side effects, according to research presented at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions 2020. Statins lower LDL (bad) cholesterol. Some people, however, experience side effects… Continue reading Statins and Side Effects