Heart Health Archive

Ask the doctors

Q. I read that taking a hot bath might have cardiovascular benefits. Is this true?

A. It's possible. Past research has found that your body experiences some of the same changes during a warm bath as it does during exercise, including better blood flow, a higher heart rate, and stronger heart contractions. And now, a study published online March 24, 2020, by the journal Heart has shown that middle-aged people in Japan who took a daily bath in either warm or hot water had a 28% lower risk of heart and blood vessel disease than people who didn't bathe in the tub more than twice a week. The daily bathers also had a 26% lower risk of stroke than those who tub bathed less frequently. The study authors analyzed questionnaires filled out by some 30,000 people and then followed them for 20 years. However, note that this study was observational and relied on people to report their bathing activity accurately. It also isn't clear if bathing was the only factor associated with the reduction in cardiovascular problems.

Sesame seeds may be most familiar as a topping on bagels, burger buns, and breadsticks. The tiny, tear-shaped seeds have a nutty, slightly sweet flavor that's enhanced when they're baked or lightly toasted in a skillet. Most are off-white or tan, but you can also find black varieties, which are popular in Asian cuisine.

Sesame seeds contain lignans and phytosterols, plant compounds that may have cholesterol-lowering effects. They're also a decent source of calcium and magnesium, two minerals linked to better blood pressure control.

Research we're watching

Most of the evidence supporting olive oil as a heart-healthy fat comes from people living in Mediterranean countries, where olives are abundant. On average, Americans don't consume much olive oil. But those who swap in even a little olive oil to replace less healthful fats appear to lower their risk of heart disease, a new study finds.

Researchers relied on health and diet data from nearly 93,000 adults in two studies beginning in 1990. Over the next 24 years, there were nearly 10,000 cases of heart disease in the group. After adjusting for other dietary habits, age, and other heart-related risks, the researchers found that people who consumed at least a half-tablespoon of olive oil a day had a 14% lower risk for heart disease compared with people who used no olive oil.

Research we're watching

Healthy lifestyle changes may lower blood levels of a marker linked to heart disease risk, a new study finds. The substance, C-reactive protein (CRP), is a byproduct of inflammation, an immune-related response involved in the formation of artery-clogging plaque. CRP levels of 3 milligrams per liter (mg/L) and higher are associated with an elevated risk of heart disease.

The study involved people at risk for heart disease who were part of an ongoing study in the Netherlands. Researchers looked at 1,794 people with known heart disease who had CRP levels between 0.8 and 3.1 mg/L at their first visit. At the second visit, after a median follow-up period of nearly 10 years, the participants' CRP levels had dipped only slightly on average. However, CRP levels fell more substantially among people who quit smoking, lost weight, or increased their physical activity levels. The results suggest that healthy lifestyle changes help to lower inflammation, which in turn may lower cardiovascular risk, according to the authors. Their study appeared in the May 2020 issue of the journal Atherosclerosis.

Research we're watching

Regular, moderate-to-vigorous exercise may help prevent atrial fibrillation (afib), according to a study in the May 2020 issue of The American Journal of Cardiology.

Previous studies looking at the connection between afib (which causes a rapid, irregular heart rate) and exercise have produced conflicting results. But those studies relied on participants to self-report their exercise habits. For the new study, the 5,147 participants wore devices that measured their activity levels for four to seven consecutive days.

Ask the doctor

Q. A recent electrocardiogram showed that I have a right bundle branch block. My doctor says it's fairly common and nothing to worry about, but I'm a bit concerned. What is it, exactly? And what specifically can cause this problem?

A. Bundle branch block refers to a small glitch in the heart's electrical conduction system. The term "bundle" refers to a collection of nerve fibers that receive the "contract now" signal from the atrioventricular node and relay it to the ventricles, the heart's lower chambers (see illustration).

Active-play video games may encourage adults — including those with heart disease — to be more active.

Looking to liven up your indoor exercise routine? You might want to try exergaming — a fitness trend that incorporates exercise into a video game. Also called gamercising, the workouts may be more motivating and fun than a traditional exercise video.

"One advantage to exergaming is that the game choices are so broad, you can tailor the exercise to your own particular interest," says Dr. Ashwin Babu, a sports medicine physiatrist at Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital. Depending on the video gaming system, you can choose from a wide array of simulated sports and recreational activities, including baseball, bowling, boxing, cycling, football, golf, table tennis, track and field events, skateboarding, skiing, tennis, and volleyball. Some offer muscle-strengthening workouts, balance and stretching, aerobic exercises, dancing, and martial arts. Others feature adventure games that you "play" with your body movements, such as moving your arms, jumping, squatting, running in place, and sidestepping.

The latest recommendations focus on newer medications, lifestyle changes, and procedures.

If you have heart disease, following a healthy diet and getting regular exercise should be a top priority. Both habits can help you reach and stay at a healthy weight and lower your blood pressure and cholesterol level. Chances are you'll also need to take medications to further improve those common heart-related risk factors. But if you also have diabetes, you may need even more aggressive treatment, according to new advice from the American Heart Association.

The recommendations, published May 12, 2020, in the journal Circulation, detail the latest evidence about treatments for people with both heart disease and diabetes. Diabetes, which affects about one in 10 adults, doubles the odds of having a heart attack or stroke (see "Why is diabetes hard on your heart?").