Heart Health

Bad weather, like snow squalls and blizzards, are common in the winter months and can be dangerous. Not only do snowstorms cause hazardous driving conditions, but they can also contribute to power outages and other events that can negatively impact your health and safety. A recent study found that, aside from the obvious dangers associated ...click here to read more

A newly published study in Circulation has shown that there are biological differences that may help predict the likelihood of recovery from advanced heart failure. While advanced heart failure was referred to as “end-stage” when there were not many treatment options, researchers have found that 15 to 20 percent of patients who undergo the implantation ...click here to read more

The world’s first MRI study of the effect of kidney disease on heart function shows that the necessary dialysis treatments for those with kidney failure can cause heart damage. Recent research conducted by the University of Nottingham used magnetic resonance imaging to study the stress placed on patients’ hearts while they underwent kidney dialysis. The ...click here to read more

Recovery after heart surgery improves with psychological support, according to a recent study published in BMC Medicine. Professor Winifred Rief of the University of Marburg, Germany, conducted the study utilizing the placebo effect. He offered different levels of psychological support to three different groups, all undergoing cardiac surgery. Patients were all addressed pre-surgery—one group was ...click here to read more

The prevalence of atrial fibrillation in dialysis patients is higher than previously thought, researchers say. The most common form of cardiac arrhythmia, atrial fibrillation (afib) is a major risk factor for strokes. Atrial fibrillation causes an irregular, sometimes faster heartbeat that prevents the heart from working efficiently and increases the risk of stroke. In an ...click here to read more

A new study has identified shoulder pain as a risk factor for heart disease. Study lead author Kurt Hegmann explained, “If someone has rotator cuff problems, it could be a sign that there is something else going on. They may need to manage risk factors for heart disease.” Shoulder-related problems are often associated with the ...click here to read more

The risk of stroke and heart problems is reduced with an optimistic attitude in older adults. The study found that a predominantly pessimistic outlook on life raises one’s risk of death from heart disease. The study involved nearly 3,000 participants tracked for 11 years. The researchers found that the most pessimistic participants were twice as ...click here to read more

Poor sleep can negatively impact a woman’s heart, especially during menopause. Menopausal women often have trouble sleeping, and researchers suggest this can add to their heart problems, increasing the risk of heart disease and stroke. The researchers found that sleep loss was correlated with greater plaque buildup and thicker artery walls. Lead researcher Rebecca Thurston ...click here to read more

Sleep disorders can contribute to heart disease risk factors, as discovered by the American Heart Association (AHA). Unfortunately, the Association is still uncertain about the appropriate amount of sleep to recommend to people in order to protect their heart. Marie-Pierre St-Onge from the AHA said in a news release, “We know that short sleep, usually ...click here to read more

Aging baby boomers need to be concerned about their heart health and heart disease risk. The likelihood of developing a cardiovascular condition increases with age, so it’s important that seniors take the necessary steps in order to reduce their risk. Your body undergoes many changes with aging. For example, blood vessels also age, becoming weaker, ...click here to read more

When it comes to heart health, you know what to do. Eat well, exercise, lose weight, don’t smoke, and watch your alcohol intake. Easy, right? Most of these tips are pretty straightforward, but “eat well” can be quite vague. Fruits and vegetables are important, and whole grains have been shown to improve your heart health, ...click here to read more

A new study has found that regular group walking may reduce your risk of stroke and heart disease, among other potentially life-threatening conditions. It also reduces your risk of depression. A research team at the Norwich Medical School at the University of East Anglia (UEA) in the U.K. says their findings show that health professionals ...click here to read more

A new study suggests that doctors should look at a patient’s blood pressure history as opposed to a single reading as a means to predict the stroke risk. Researcher Dr. Marileen Portegies said, “Our study suggests that looking at someone’s blood pressure over time and whether it increases slowly or steeply may provide additional information ...click here to read more

A strong link has been found between the risk of atrial fibrillation and race. Whites with heart failure are at a much greater risk for atrial fibrillation, compared to blacks and Hispanics. Heart failure is a common risk factor for atrial fibrillation and affects nearly 5.8 million Americans. The researchers reviewed data from over 68,000 ...click here to read more