Recent Articles
Hospice care: Overview of a compassionate approach to end-of-life care
Foot pain: A look at why your feet might hurt
Matcha: A look at possible health benefits
Wildfires: How to cope when smoke affects air quality and health
Forearm workouts: Strengthening grip for everyday function
Depression symptoms: Recognizing common and lesser-known symptoms
Medication side effects: What are your options?
Independent living with home care assistance: Balancing autonomy and support
Dialysis: What to expect from this life-changing — and lifesaving — treatment
The BEEP program: Keep your balance
Medical Tests & Procedures Archive
Articles
Genetic profiling for heart disease: An update
A polygenic risk score for heart disease is based on an analysis of more than three million common DNA variants and is expressed as a percentile. People can have zero, one, or two copies of any variant, each of which may either raise or lower the risk of coronary artery disease. Many of these variants occur in genes known to affect heart disease, such as those related to cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood clotting. Others aren't well understood and may provide targets for future research, potentially fueling new drug discovery efforts. For now, the potential benefits of this test are greatest for people under 50.
An inside look at body fat
As men age, their metabolism naturally slows, and they burn calories more slowly. They can be less active and consume extra calories. The result is a buildup of visceral fat inside the abdominal cavity and around vital organs. This can raise heart disease risk factors, such as blood pressure, blood sugar, and total cholesterol levels. The best way to fight visceral fat is with aerobic exercise, strength training, and a healthy diet that includes plenty of protein.
An elevated high-sensitivity troponin level
Troponins, which are proteins found in heart muscle cells, are released in the bloodstream during a heart attack. Other conditions, such heart muscle inflammation and chronic kidney disease, can also cause troponin levels to rise.
Seeing clogged arteries may inspire healthier habits
If people see evidence of plaque buildup inside their arteries, it may motivate them to take better care of their heart health, according to a 2023 study.
Rethinking PSA testing
Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening can help identify early prostate cancer, but it also can lead men to have biopsies and invasive treatments they may not need. This complexity has caused the medical community to re-evaluate how best to use PSA testing. More doctors are using PSA screening in ways that minimize the use of biopsies, such as by following a worrisome test result with MRI of the prostate. If a man does have a biopsy and a cancer is found, PSA testing can help the man follow active surveillance.
Thyroid hormone: How it affects your heart
The thyroid gland releases hormones that affect the heart. Too little thyroid hormone slows the heart rate and may boost blood pressure and cholesterol levels, while too much can trigger abnormal heart rhythms and high blood pressure.
Having one chronic condition can boost the risk for others
Many chronic conditions seem to be related. Examples include obesity, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, and heart disease; hearing loss and dementia; obstructive sleep apnea and high blood pressure; various autoimmune diseases; and obesity and joint problems. People with chronic conditions should ask their doctors about the risk for associated diseases.In some cases, they should have certain health screenings to check for them. In other cases, additional screening isn't automatic.
24-hour blood pressure monitoring outperforms clinic readings
Wearing a device that automatically records blood pressure every 30 to 60 minutes for 24 hours (known as ambulatory blood pressure monitoring) may better predict death from cardiovascular disease and other causes than clinic blood pressure readings.
Calcium score may foretell heart risk better than genetic test
A calcium score, which quantifies the plaque inside the heart's arteries, can sometimes improve the ability to assess a person's risk of heart disease beyond the traditional heart disease risk score.
Recent Articles
Hospice care: Overview of a compassionate approach to end-of-life care
Foot pain: A look at why your feet might hurt
Matcha: A look at possible health benefits
Wildfires: How to cope when smoke affects air quality and health
Forearm workouts: Strengthening grip for everyday function
Depression symptoms: Recognizing common and lesser-known symptoms
Medication side effects: What are your options?
Independent living with home care assistance: Balancing autonomy and support
Dialysis: What to expect from this life-changing — and lifesaving — treatment
The BEEP program: Keep your balance
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