5 timeless habits for better health
What are the symptoms of prostate cancer?
Is your breakfast cereal healthy?
When pain signals an emergency: Symptoms you should never ignore
Does exercise give you energy?
Acupuncture for pain relief: How it works and what to expect
How to avoid jet lag: Tips for staying alert when you travel
Biofeedback therapy: How it works and how it can help relieve pain
Best vitamins and minerals for energy
Should you take probiotics with antibiotics?
Heart Attack Archive
Articles
Experimental drug lowers lipoprotein(a), a suspect in heart attacks
Research we're watching
A new kind of drug given by injection can lower blood levels of lipoprotein(a), or Lp(a), a fatty particle linked to a heightened risk of heart attack and narrowing of the aortic valve, according to a study published January 1 in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Up to one in five people has a very high level of Lp(a), which is nearly completely determined by a person's genes. Lp(a) particles are similar to the better-known LDL cholesterol particles but with an extra protein coiled around each particle.
The heart of a healthy sex life
A regular sex life offers many heart health benefits. But can you stay sexually active with heart issues?
Regular sex is good medicine for your heart. But what if you've had a heart attack or a heart procedure? When is it safe to resume sex again — and should you?
"Most men can continue their sex life after a heart attack, unless there are additional circumstances that increase their risk," says Dr. Jason Matos, a cardiologist with Harvard-affiliated Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. "It depends on the person and his specific issue, but most men don't have to give up their sex life because of their heart health."
Keeping tabs on triglycerides
People monitor their cholesterol levels, but they should also watch their triglycerides.
Most people have heard of the two main kinds of cholesterol: the "good" HDL and the "bad" LDL. Doctors focus on controlling LDL, as high levels can lead to a buildup of fatty deposits in the arteries and block blood flow, which can trigger a heart attack or stroke.
A blood test called a lipid profile measures your HDL, LDL, and total cholesterol levels. But within that test is another number you should not ignore: your triglyceride levels.
FDA approves fish oil-based drug for heart attack and stroke prevention
Research we're watching
Late in 2019, the FDA approved a new use for icosapent ethyl (Vascepa), a drug that is a highly purified form of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), an omega-3 fatty acid found in fish.
The drug was originally approved in 2012 for treating people with very high levels of triglycerides, a type of fat in the blood. Now, icosapent ethyl is approved for people with triglyceride levels greater than or equal to 150 milligrams per deciliter who also have an elevated risk of cardiovascular disease despite taking the highest tolerable dose of a cholesterol-lowering statin. A large trial found that the drug decreases the risk of heart attack, stroke, and death from cardiac causes by 26% when compared with a placebo.
Biotin supplements may interfere with test to diagnose heart attack
Research we're watching
Taking supplements that contain high levels of biotin (vitamin B7) can lead to falsely low results on a blood test used to detect heart attacks, according to an FDA warning issued late last year.
For adults, the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for biotin is 0.03 milligrams (mg), which is easily obtained through a healthy, varied diet. Many multivitamins and prenatal vitamins contain far more biotin than the RDA. And some supplements — particularly those marketed to improve hair, nails, and skin — contain 20 mg, or nearly 650 times the RDA.
Gout drug may help prevent repeat heart attacks
Research we're watching
A drug long used to treat a painful form of arthritis called gout may also benefit heart attack survivors, according to a new study.
Derived from the autumn crocus, colchicine (Colcrys, Mitigare) helps to ease the joint inflammation and pain that characterize gout. Because mounting evidence suggests that inflammation plays a role in heart disease, researchers have tested various anti-inflammatory drugs in heart patients. The latest study, published online Nov. 16, 2019, by The New England Journal of Medicine, tested colchicine against a placebo in 4,745 people who had experienced a heart attack within the previous month. All the participants also took standard drugs to treat heart disease, including statins, aspirin, and other clot-preventing drugs.
Don’t stress about heart health
Chronic stress is associated with an increased risk of heart disease, heart attacks, and strokes. These strategies can help you manage it.
People often complain about stress, but it's actually a natural reaction with an essential purpose.
When the body senses danger, it starts its fight-or-flight response. Your nervous system releases hormones like adrenaline and cortisol, which jolt the body into a protective mode. Your heart pounds faster, muscles tighten, blood pressure rises, breathing quickens, and your senses sharpen.
Is nighttime the right time for blood pressure drugs?
Taking these medications at bedtime rather than in the morning may make them more effective.
Many people take their medications as part of their morning ritual, along with a cup of coffee and the daily newspaper. But for blood pressure drugs, evening may be a better option. Last year, a large study found that taking blood pressure drugs before bed may lower the risk of serious heart-related complications more than taking the drugs in the morning (see "Benefits of bedtime blood pressure dosing").
The concept of chronotherapy, or adjusting medication dosing to a specific time of day, isn't new. There's not a great deal of evidence to support the practice with cardiovascular drugs, but it makes sense, says Dr. Naomi Fisher, director of the Hypertension Specialty Clinic at Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women's Hospital.
How better blood pressure control may benefit the brain
Research we're watching
Treating high blood pressure may do more than prevent heart attacks and strokes. In older adults, intensive blood pressure lowering may also conserve brain function, according to a new study.
Published online Oct. 14, 2019, by the journal Circulation, the study included 199 adults ages 75 and older, all with a systolic blood pressure value (the first number in a reading) of 150 or higher. Their brain scans also showed lesions in the brain's white matter, which contains nerve fibers that send signals from one part of the brain to another. The lesions, which reflect damaged small blood vessels, have been linked to a propensity for thinking and memory problems. About two-thirds of people over age 75 have white matter lesions, as do most people over age 90.
Omega-3 supplements may improve heart health
In the journals
Research continues to explore the possible benefits of omega-3 fish oil supplements, especially for heart health, and a recent review of existing data suggests they may protect against heart attack and coronary artery disease.
Researchers from Harvard's T.H. Chan School of Public Health and Brigham and Women's Hospital examined 13 trials, involving almost 128,000 people, to look for any association between omega-3 supplements and the risk of heart attacks, strokes, coronary artery disease, and death from cardiovascular disease. Their results were published online Sept. 30, 2019, by the Journal of the American Heart Association.
5 timeless habits for better health
What are the symptoms of prostate cancer?
Is your breakfast cereal healthy?
When pain signals an emergency: Symptoms you should never ignore
Does exercise give you energy?
Acupuncture for pain relief: How it works and what to expect
How to avoid jet lag: Tips for staying alert when you travel
Biofeedback therapy: How it works and how it can help relieve pain
Best vitamins and minerals for energy
Should you take probiotics with antibiotics?
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