Heart Health Archive

Research we're watching

People often think of heart disease as a modern-day affliction, caused mainly by our contemporary diet and lifestyle habits. But researchers have found evidence of stiff, narrowed arteries, or atherosclerosis — the telltale sign of heart disease — in ancient mummified remains found in different parts of the world.

The most recent of these discoveries, described Dec. 27, 2019, in JAMA Network Open, comes from four individuals who died in Greenland some 500 years ago. Their bodies were of special interest because their diets consisted primarily of fish and marine mammals, which are rich sources of omega-3 fatty acids. Around 50 years ago, the low heart attack rates among native Greenland Inuit spurred the original interest in omega-3s.

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.

Research we're watching

Exposure to pyrethroids, a common class of insecticides used to kill lice, mosquitoes, and other pests, may raise a person's risk of cardiovascular disease and early death, a new study suggests.

Researchers measured levels of a breakdown product of pyrethroids in urine samples from 2,116 adults who were part of a large national health study. The samples were obtained between 1999 and 2002, when the participants were about 43 years old, on average. After a median follow-up of 14.4 years, people with the highest exposure to pyrethroids were three times more likely to die from heart disease than those with the lowest exposure to the chemicals. The study was published online Dec. 30, 2019, by JAMA Internal Medicine.

Ask the doctor

Q. I'm in my 70s, and I get breathless when I climb stairs. Maybe that's normal at my age, but my doctor says the cause may be my slow heartbeat. Can a slow heartbeat be dangerous?

A. Yes, it could be. To explain why, let's begin with the basics. Your heart beats in order to pump blood around the body. The circulating blood brings the nutrition that every cell in your body needs, and it removes cellular waste material: blood brings the food and takes away the garbage. The effectiveness of the circulation depends on how much blood your heart pumps with each heartbeat and how many times per minute it beats. Even if each heartbeat pumps a lot of blood, if your heart doesn't pump often enough, your body won't get the blood it needs. And when you exert yourself, the body needs more blood.

Balloon angioplasty appears to be just as good as surgery to unblock carotid arteries.

Date of last review, March 25, 2020Opening a blocked heart artery with a balloon and then propping it open with a wire-mesh stent is more commonly used than bypass surgery for restoring blood flow to the heart. Although coronary angioplasty plus stenting isn't quite as durable as bypass surgery, it is much easier on the body, since it doesn't require opening the chest.

The situation is similar in the carotid arteries, which convey oxygen-rich blood to the brain. In that territory, carotid angioplasty plus stenting (CAS) for many people has become preferred to endarterectomy, an operation to clean out a clogged carotid artery.

Get stronger and more fit with just a few props and simple moves.

As the world grapples with the effects of COVID-19, social distancing has become the new normal – at least for now. With gyms, beaches, and parks temporarily closed and people being encouraged to stay at home, it's easy to let your exercise routine fall by the wayside. And working from home or lacking a daily routine can make it hard to keep up with any physical activity at all.  

But you can get a good workout in the comfort of your own home, even if you don't have a dedicated workout space or fancy machines. In fact, you don't actually need any props, although a few small dumbbells can come in handy.

A study comparing the hearts of apes with four different groups of men demonstrates how the heart adapts over a person’s lifetime depending on what exercise a person does (or doesn’t do). The most revealing part of the findings pertained to men who are generally not active.

An analysis of research suggests those who run regularly –– regardless of pace, distance, or amount of time –– are more likely to live longer and have a lower risk of cardiovascular disease or cancer.

There is good evidence that the more you drink, the more likely you are to develop atrial fibrillation. A study found that people with afib who were willing to abstain from alcohol were less likely to have a recurrence.