Heart Health Archive

Primary care providers can help people manage their blood pressure and cholesterol. But those with additional risks for heart disease should consider consulting a cardiologist.

Seeing a cardiologist is standard practice after you've experienced a heart attack or other serious heart problem. But in certain situations, you may want to consult a physician who specializes in managing heart disease even if you haven't had a heart-related scare.

"We encourage people with a family history of premature heart disease or who have many risk factors for heart disease to consider an evaluation by a cardiologist," explains cardiologist Dr. Michelle O'Donoghue, associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. A premature heart attack is one that occurs before age 55 in a man or before age 65 in a woman. If you have a parent or sibling who falls into that category, make sure your primary care provider knows, as your odds of heart disease are higher than average.

Genetic advances are improving the recognition and treatment of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

The term "heart disease" often refers to plaque-filled heart arteries that can lead to a heart attack. More accurately described as coronary artery disease, it's by far the most common and best known type of heart disease. Most people are far less familiar with the most common inherited form of heart disease, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), which affects the heart muscle rather than its arteries.

HCM is thought to affect one in 500 people. It's far more common than better known diseases such as multiple sclerosis and cystic fibrosis. But HCM can be tricky to diagnose. "In the clinic, we suspect hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in people who have unexplained thickening of the heart muscle seen on an echocardiogram," says Harvard Medical School professor Dr. Christine Seidman. Other conditions, such as longstanding high blood pressure, can also cause the heart to enlarge. Because high blood pressure is so common, it's sometimes mistakenly blamed for the signs of HCM in older people, she says. In younger people, HCM is sometimes misdiagnosed as exercise-induced asthma or anxiety.

These shiny, reddish or golden-brown seeds are the richest natural source of alpha linolenic acid (ALA), an omega-3 fatty acid that's also found in soybean oil, canola oil, and walnuts. Because our bodies can't make omega-3 fats, we must get them from food. The other main omega-3s, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), are found mainly in fatty fish. Nutrition experts recommend getting at least one rich source of omega-3 fats daily. So if you don't eat fish, flaxseeds are a good option.

Flaxseeds, which have a slightly nutty taste, contain other healthful nutrients, including protein, fiber, and lignans (plant chemicals with antioxidant effects). Small studies suggest that consuming whole or ground flaxseeds may lower cholesterol levels and blood pressure.

Research we're watching

People who eat chili peppers on a regular basis appear to lower their risk of dying from heart disease, a new study finds.

Researchers analyzed the diets and health records of more than 22,000 people living in southern Italy and followed them for a median of just over eight years. People who ate chili peppers more than four times a week were about one-third less likely to die of heart disease than those who rarely or never ate the spicy-hot peppers. This protective benefit was evident regardless of whether people followed a Mediterranean-style diet (which is often recommended for heart health) or a less healthful diet.

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.

Research we're watching

Long-term exposure to traffic noise has been linked to a greater risk of heart disease. New research reveals additional clues about this connection.

Researchers studied nearly 500 adults over a five-year period and gathered traffic and aircraft noise data for each person's home address. After adjusting for other factors that contribute to cardiovascular risk (including air pollution), they found that every 5-decibel increase in the average 24-hour noise level was associated with a 34% increase in heart attacks, strokes, and other serious heart-related problems.

To help stave off cardiovascular disease, you may not need to run very far, very fast—or even very frequently.

Jogging and running rank among the most popular forms of exercise in this country. But how fast and how long do you need to run to reap the cardiovascular rewards of this activity? A recent study suggests that for both questions, the answer may be less than you think (see "The latest research on jogging and running").

"The main takeaway message is that running even just once a week seems to offer some cardiovascular benefits," says Dr. Adam Tenforde, director of the Running Medicine Program at Harvard-affiliated Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital. It's heartening news for people who enjoy running but can't do it more frequently, either for logistical reasons or health issues such as knee arthritis, he adds. These findings might also inspire people who do brisk walking to add a few minutes of running to their exercise regimen.

There is a lot you can do to lower your chances of having a stroke. Even if you've already had a stroke or TIA ("mini-stroke"), you can take steps to prevent another.

Controlling your weight is an important way to lower stroke risk. Excess pounds strain the entire circulatory system and can lead to other health conditions, including high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, and obstructive sleep apnea. But losing as little as 5% to 10% of your starting weight can lower your blood pressure and other stroke risk factors.