Category: heart-letter

People who are out of shape often have a hard time getting the 2.5 hours of moderate exercise a week recommended by federal guidelines.

For decades, a key health message was “all fat is bad.” Today we know that good fats are essential to good health. As research mounts, the recommendations can get confusing, but plant-based oils are still the best.

Stress tests help show if your heart gets enough blood and oxygen when stressed.

Secondhand smoke exposure raises a person’s chance of developing heart disease up to 30%. But nonsmokers hospitalized for heart disease are rarely asked about this preventable risk.

A small percentage of people who take cholesterol-lowering statins complain of muscle pain.

Most people with heart failure need to limit the amount of fluid they drink to eight cups a day. That includes foods that are liquid at room temperature.

An valve can be replaced by a mechanical valve or one made from pig or cow tissue. Mechanical valves last longer but require the use of anti-clotting medicines.

Ask the doctor: When a stroke has no immediate symptoms

Exercise stress tests help diagnose possible heart disease in people with symptoms of the disease.

Packable equipment (such as exercise bands and jump ropes), airport walking routes, and athletic shoe rentals available at some hotels are helpful options for maintaining a fitness program away from home.