Heart Attack Archive

Staying Healthy

Look inside your heart

Published August 1, 2021

The traditional measures to gauge heart disease risk don’t always tell the whole story. Sometimes more medical information is needed. An increasingly used test to predict a person’s risk for heart attack or stroke is a coronary artery calcium scan. It measures the amount of calcified plaque in the heart’s arteries, high levels of which suggest higher overall plaque buildup. The number can determine if people should begin statin therapy and make additional lifestyle changes.

Heart Health

Why people faint: From common to very rare causes

Published August 1, 2021

All episodes of fainting results from insufficient blood flow to the brain. But there are many underlying causes for that diminished blood flow, ranging from common, usually harmless issues to rare, potentially serious problems. Common causes include vasovagal syncope and orthostatic hypotension; rare causes include carotid sinus hypersensitivity and rotational vertebral artery syndrome.

Staying Healthy

Do I need to take my blood pressure in both arms?

Published July 1, 2021

Taking blood pressure readings in both arms can help reveal potential heart risks.

Heart Health

Autoimmune conditions and heart disease

Published July 1, 2021

People with systemic inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and psoriasis are more likely to have heart attacks and to die of cardiovascular disease than people in the general public. The 2019 expert guidelines for preventing heart disease says these conditions should be considered "risk enhancers" when estimating heart attack risk. But this added risk may be underrecognized and undertreated.

Heart Health

A new way to take aspirin: Liquid-filled capsules

Published July 1, 2021

The FDA approved the first liquid-filled aspirin capsule, Vazalore, which will be marketed in standard and low-dose versions.

Heart Health

Advice about daily aspirin

Published July 1, 2021

The heart-protecting benefits of a daily low-dose aspirin have to be weighed against the risk of bleeding, a common side effect that is usually minor but sometimes serious. The calculation depends on age and whether a person has cardiovascular disease, diabetes, or a condition that raises risk of bleeding.

Women's Health

Is a "normal" blood pressure reading too high for women?

Updated June 1, 2021

A study published Feb. 16, 2021, in Circulation found that women with blood pressure readings in a normal range may still be at higher risk for cardiovascular events. For example, heart attack risk in women rose at a systolic (the upper number) reading of 110 to 119 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg) and was the same at this level as men with a systolic pressure of 160 mm Hg. But experts say it’s too soon to change blood pressure recommendations for women until more research confirms the results.

Heart Health

Fruit of the month: Berries

Updated June 1, 2021

Strawberries and blueberries are rich in beneficial plant compounds known as anthocyanins, which give berries their vibrant red, blue, and purple hues. Several studies have linked diets with anthocyanin-rich foods to better heart health.

Heart Health

Diastolic blood pressure: Worth a second look?

Updated June 1, 2021

A diastolic blood pressure reading lower than 60 mm Hg may be linked to an increased risk of heart attack and stroke in people at high cardiovascular risk. Diastolic pressure tends to fall with age. Some people with a low reading have a leaky aortic valve, which interferes with normal blood circulation throughout the heart and causes diastolic pressure to fall. But in people with healthy aortic valves who can be physically active without any symptoms (such as chest pressure, shortness of breath, or lightheadedness), a low diastolic blood pressure should not pose a problem.

Men's Health

American Heart Association issues statement on cardiovascular side effects from hormonal therapy for prostate cancer

Published May 18, 2021

The American Heart Association issued a statement addressing cardiovascular risks from hormonal therapy for prostate cancer, emphasizing the need to identify men with pre-existing cardiac risk factors or a family history of cardiovascular diseases who should be monitored closely during treatment.

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Heart Attack Archive

Articles

Look inside your heart

Why people faint: From common to very rare causes

Do I need to take my blood pressure in both arms?

Autoimmune conditions and heart disease

A new way to take aspirin: Liquid-filled capsules

Advice about daily aspirin

Is a "normal" blood pressure reading too high for women?

Fruit of the month: Berries

Diastolic blood pressure: Worth a second look?

American Heart Association issues statement on cardiovascular side effects from hormonal therapy for prostate cancer

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