heart-letter
I had an electrocardiogram in preparation for minor surgery. My doctor told me it showed that I have right bundle branch block. Neither he nor my cardiologist are worried about it, but I am. Is this serious?
People taking the “triple therapy” combination of aspirin, Plavix, and warfarin are at increased risk of bleeding. A panel of experts has recommended a set of guidelines intended to make taking this drug combination safe and effective.
Omega-6 fats were once criticized as unhealthy, but researchers for the American Heart Association have concluded that they are in fact beneficial to the heart.
Those with a narrowed carotid artery have a choice between two procedures to clear the blockage: endarterectomy or angioplasty. Although it is less invasive, the risk of stroke is higher following angioplasty, making it the riskier choice for most people.
The belief that acupuncture can lower blood pressure has been tested by studies, but the conclusions regarding its effectiveness are divided.
Almost three years ago I had triple bypass surgery and mitral valve replacement. I did so having only one lung. It feels like the operation somehow harmed my lung, making it harder to breathe. Can heart surgery do this?
A movement called Hospital at Home seeks to provide professional-caliber meeical care at home to people who need care but do not need to be hospitalized.
Blood pressure that stays high even when three or more medications are taken is called resistant hypertension. In such cases lifestyle changes are especially important, and there may be underlying causes such as sleep apnea.
Estrogen is beneficial for controlling symptoms of menopause, but its benefits for younger women seem to become risks for older women, so it should not be taken to prevent heart disease.
A comparison of several different diet strategies found that the choice of diet is less important than cutting daily calorie intake and exercising enough to burn extra calories.