Invasive procedures such as bypass surgery and stenting—commonly used to treat blocked arteries—are no better at reducing the risk for heart attack and death in patients with stable ischemic heart disease than medication and lifestyle changes alone. However, such procedures offer better symptom relief and quality of life for some patients with chest pain, according… Continue reading Heart Attack Risk and Exercise
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.
Study: More Money Doesn’t Always Mean Better Heart Health
Being upwardly mobile isn’t always a good thing when it comes to a person’s health, a new study shows. The research appeared in a special spotlight issue of the Journal of the American Heart Association that explored the complex relationships between psychosocial factors and cardiovascular health. To study cardiometabolic health, the analysis focused on metabolic… Continue reading Study: More Money Doesn’t Always Mean Better Heart Health
How Accurate Are Home Blood Pressure Monitors?
Most blood pressure devices sold for home monitoring in Australia – and possibly worldwide – may not have been validated for accuracy and could lead to misdiagnoses and inappropriate treatment, according to new research published in Hypertension, an American Heart Association (AHA). In this study, the researchers looked at the online blood pressure device marketplace… Continue reading How Accurate Are Home Blood Pressure Monitors?
E-Cigarettes Cause the Same Kind of Damage to Arteries as Traditional Cigarettes
Using e-cigarettes damages the arteries and blood vessel function in the same way that smoking traditional cigarettes does, according to new research. The study was published in April in the Journal of the American Heart Association, an open access journal of the American Heart Association, and funded through the Tobacco Center of Regulatory Science of… Continue reading E-Cigarettes Cause the Same Kind of Damage to Arteries as Traditional Cigarettes
Irregular Sleep Patterns Linked to Heart Disease
Older adults with irregular sleep patterns — meaning they have no regular bedtime and wake-up schedule, or they get different amounts of sleep each night — are nearly twice as likely to develop cardiovascular disease as those with more regular sleep patterns, according to a new study funded in part by the National Heart, Lung,… Continue reading Irregular Sleep Patterns Linked to Heart Disease
Tobacco Smoke from A Hookah Ups the Danger of Blood Clots
For the first time, in a study conducted in mice, researchers found that tobacco smoke from a hookah caused blood to function abnormally and be more likely to clot and quickly form blood clots, which can increase the risk of heart attack or stroke. The research was published in the American Heart Association’s journal Arteriosclerosis,… Continue reading Tobacco Smoke from A Hookah Ups the Danger of Blood Clots
One Daily “Polypill” Helps Underserved Patients Fight Heart-Disease Risk
Taking one daily pill, which combined medications to treat high blood pressure and high cholesterol, worked to lower heart disease risk among underserved patients better than taking several separate medications, researchers say. Additionally, the study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine and funded by the American Heart Association, showed that that patients were… Continue reading One Daily “Polypill” Helps Underserved Patients Fight Heart-Disease Risk
Treating More than Just The Heart Is Critical for Geriatric Patients
Geriatric conditions such as frailty and cognitive impairments may inadvertently worsen when older patients are treated in cardiac intensive care units – even as they receive excellent care for their heart attack, heart failure, valvular heart disease or pulmonary embolism, according to experts. The findings were contained in a new scientific statement from the American… Continue reading Treating More than Just The Heart Is Critical for Geriatric Patients
Top Heart Disease and Stroke Researches Advances in 2019
Scientific research is the cornerstone for medical care and innovations that have resulted in improved health and longer life for many. The American Heart Association, one of the top funders of heart- and stroke-related research worldwide, has compiled an annual list of major advances in heart disease and stroke science since 1996. Here are the… Continue reading Top Heart Disease and Stroke Researches Advances in 2019
Low-Dose Aspirin May Not Help African-Americans’ Heart Health
Low-dose aspirin was not associated with a reduced risk of a fatal heart attack among African Americans, according to an observational study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, the open access journal of the American Heart Association. “Most available data shows that African Americans have a higher risk of having a heart… Continue reading Low-Dose Aspirin May Not Help African-Americans’ Heart Health
Bacteria in Saliva May Be Linked to Heart Disease
Bacteria in the saliva of people with clogged arteries appears to be different from that of healthy people, according to a small study. The finding could open the door for new strategies to fight heart disease. The preliminary research, presented at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions, comes in the wake of past research showing… Continue reading Bacteria in Saliva May Be Linked to Heart Disease
Racial Inequities Uncovered in Hospital Admissions for Heart Failure
Skin color too often determines the quality of cardiovascular health care a patient receives, researchers say. People who are black or of Latin American descent with the condition of heart failure are less likely to be admitted to specialized cardiology units, a disparity that may help explain long-known racial differences in heart failure outcomes, according… Continue reading Racial Inequities Uncovered in Hospital Admissions for Heart Failure
Rejected and Unfilled Prescriptions for New, Pricier Cholesterol Drugs Tied to Higher Heart, Stroke Risk
Patients appear to be at higher risk of heart problems or stroke when prescriptions for the newest cholesterol-lowering drugs are rejected by insurance companies or unfilled by patients, according to new research in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes, an American Heart Association journal. The drugs, PCSK9 inhibitors (PCSK9i), can substantially lower levels of low-density lipoprotein… Continue reading Rejected and Unfilled Prescriptions for New, Pricier Cholesterol Drugs Tied to Higher Heart, Stroke Risk
Pesticide Exposure Raises Heart-Disease Risk in Some Men
On-the-job exposure to high levels of pesticides raised the risk of heart disease and stroke in a generally healthy group of Japanese- American men in Hawaii, according to new research published in the Journal of the American Heart Association. “This study emphasizes the importance of using personal protective equipment during exposure to pesticides on the… Continue reading Pesticide Exposure Raises Heart-Disease Risk in Some Men
Heating Pad Can Help with a Type of Blood-Pressure Condition
Applying a heating pad overnight may help people with supine hypertension, a condition that causes their blood pressure to increase when they lie down, including during sleep, according to preliminary results presented at the American Heart Association’s Hypertension 2019 Scientific Sessions. Supine hypertension is present in about half of people with autonomic failure, a chronic… Continue reading Heating Pad Can Help with a Type of Blood-Pressure Condition
Hypertension and Cognitive Decline
High blood pressure appears to accelerate cognitive decline among middle-aged and older adults, but treating high blood pressure may slow down the process, according to new research. The findings, presented as preliminary research presented at the American Heart Association’s Hypertension 2019 Scientific Sessions, are important because high blood pressure and cognitive decline are two of… Continue reading Hypertension and Cognitive Decline
The Income Factor in Blood Pressure Treatment
People enrolled in a large clinical hypertension management trial were half as likely to control their blood pressure if they received care at clinics and practices in low-income areas, according to new research in Journal of the American Heart Association. Participants in a low-income area had a 25% higher chance of dying from any cause… Continue reading The Income Factor in Blood Pressure Treatment
Protect Your Heart in The Heat
With record hot temperatures facing the nation, the American Heart Association has issued guidelines for protecting your heart in the heat: Dehydration causes the heart to work harder, putting it at risk. Hydration helps the heart more easily pump blood through the blood vessels to the muscles. And, it helps the muscles work efficiently. “If… Continue reading Protect Your Heart in The Heat