Heart Health + Original Articles

Heart Condition Encyclopedia

From atrial fibrillation to venous thromboembolism, your guide to some of the most common heart-related terms. Having a heart condition sounds scary, and it can be—heart disease kills more than 600,000 people in the U.S. annually. Fortunately, many heart issues are preventable or treatable. Arrhythmia This is an abnormality with the heartbeat in which the rate or rhythm of the heart is off; the heart may beat too fast, too slow, or irregularly.

Are Women With Heart Disease Overlooked and Under Treated?

Our expert discusses the results of two new heart studies, and what they mean for women. When it comes to matters of the heart, two new studies prove that men and women are literally very different. Heart attacks affect about 735,000 Americans every year. While more than half occur in men, more women die from heart disease. In fact, it's their No.

The Worst Foods for Your Heart

Though the advice for heart-healthy eating changes over time, the goals remain the same. Here’s the latest thinking on heart-smart diets, and seven types of foods you should avoid. The goals of heart-healthy eating include managing your weight, cholesterol levels, and blood pressure. But how do you do this? Health experts continue to fine-tune their recommendations, and here’s what the latest research reveals on fat, carbs, and the worst foods for your heart.

Coffee and Hypertension

Does coffee raise your blood pressure? A recent study suggests the answer might be different from person to person. Approximately 70 million, or 1 out of every 3 American adults, have hypertension (chronic high blood pressure), a condition that can lead to heart disease, stroke, and kidney disease. Just as many adults have prehypertension, with blood pressure that is higher than normal but not yet high enough to be diagnosed with hypertension.

Autoimmune Disease and Medication Heart Risk

For people diagnosed with certain autoimmune diseases, medications like antihistamines and antidepressants may increase the risk of fatal cardiac arrhythmias. Antihistamines do an excellent job of keeping allergy symptoms at bay. Antidepressants can help a person suffering from mental-health conditions get back to a normal life. For most people, the positive qualities of medications like these outweigh their (usually few) risks.

Lower Risk of Stroke for People on Statins and Fibrates

A recent study found older adults who take statins may have a lower risk of stroke. Statins and fibrates are two classes of medications commonly prescribed to people with high cholesterol. Statins work by preventing the formation of cholesterol. They primarily reduce levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol, but also reduce harmful triglycerides and raise HDL (good) cholesterol.

Survivors of Heart Emergencies at Higher Risk for Cognitive Problems

Want a healthy brain? Keep your heart in shape. Cardiac arrest is an extremely serious medical event, and one that frequently ends in the death of the patient. "Survival is actually terrible," says David Vorchheimer, MD, cardiologist at the Montefiore Einstein Center for Heart and Vascular Care in New York City.

Atrial Fibrillation Update for Women

New guidelines for taking blood thinners. Are you one of the 2.7 million people in the U.S. with atrial fibrillation (also known as AFib)? This irregular heartbeat can lead to serious complications like stroke, heart failure, and blood clots. To treat this potentially life-threatening condition, many people take anticoagulants, or blood thinners.

Hypertension (High Blood Pressure) by the Numbers

What you need to know about high blood pressure, and 5 tips to keep it in check. If you have high blood pressure, or hypertension, you’re at an increased risk of heart disease. But just how high do your numbers have to go before you face health risks? And is there anything you can do to lower high blood pressure? Here are 9 blood pressure numbers you should know, and five tips for reaching (and maintaining) healthy blood pressure levels.

Why Optimistic People May Have Healthier Hearts

A study examines the relationship between heart health and optimism. Plus, 5 tips for training yourself to think positive. Individuals who tend to look at the glass as half full rather than half empty aren’t just happier, they have healthier hearts, too. Researchers reviewed information from 5,100 adults between the ages of 45 and 84, examining subjects’ markers of cardiovascular health, like blood pressure, cholesterol levels, tobacco use, and dietary intake, as well as their mental health and levels of optimism.
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