Heart Health Archive

Air pollution is an often overlooked yet important contributor to cardiovascular disease. Tiny particles known as PM_2.5 travel deep into the lungs, where they irritate receptors and trigger nerves involved in the autonomic nervous system. This irritation also contributes to inflammation, which accelerates atherosclerosis. Climate change can worsen the damaging effects of air pollution in several ways, such as by promoting wildfires and dust storms, which creates more PM_2.5. To reduce pollution's harmful effects, people can check air quality information and use portable indoor air cleaners when pollution levels are elevated.

The first-ever guidelines to diagnose chest pain document the range of possible heart attack symptoms. They include a sense of pressure, tightness, squeezing, or heaviness in the chest but also in the shoulders, arms, neck, back, upper abdomen, or jaw. The report also provides a road map to help doctors assess chest pain with selective use of the latest available tests. Chest discomfort can also result from other conditions that affect the heart (such as pericarditis) and nearby organs. These include acid reflux, muscle or joint issues, and lung problems.

People with atrial fibrillation (afib) often wonder whether certain habits—such as drinking coffee or not getting sufficient sleep—might trigger their episodes. Some notice that disruptions to their normal routine are likely to trigger a bout of afib—for example, exhaustion due to jet lag or indigestion after eating a rich, heavy meal. Evidence increasingly suggests that smaller amounts of alcohol (even just one drink) may also raise a person's risk of afib, and some people may be more susceptible than others. But for many people, trying to identify afib triggers can be an exercise in frustration.

Two main complications can occur with coronary stents: the gradual renarrowing of the area inside the stent, known as restenosis, and the formation of clots inside the stent, called stent thrombosis.

Mental stress ischemia occurs when emotional stress causes a decline in blood flow to the heart. The condition, which affects about one in six people with heart disease, may more than double a person's risk of heart attack. Mental stress ischemia appears to be caused in part by changes in the wall and inner lining of the heart's smallest blood vessels. Known as microvascular disease, this problem tends to be more prevalent in women. In contrast, a more common cause of chest pain is narrowing of the large arteries of the heart.

Stir-fries feature a healthy dose of vegetables combined with lean protein and a flavorful sauce. When served over steamed brown rice, stir fries are a good example of a well-balanced, nutritious meal.

Dietary fat can both help and hurt heart health, depending on the source. Eating adequate amounts of the "good" fats—monounsaturated and polyunsaturated—can help reduce cholesterol levels and lower blood pressure. "Bad" saturated fat found in many processed foods can have the opposite effect. Following heart-healthy diets like the Mediterranean and DASH diets and making small substitutions in daily eating habits can ensure people get the proper amounts of good fats.

People who fall asleep between 10 and 11 p.m. may be less likely to develop heart disease than those who start their slumber earlier or later.