heart-letter
People with aortic stenosis eventually need to have the aortic valve replaced. Whether it is done before or after symptoms appear depends on whether the goal is to prevent sudden death (a common consequence of aortic stenosis) or preserve quality of life.
Sleep apnea may cause or aggravate heart disease by creating surges of adrenaline, which likely contribute to high blood pressure and strain the cardiovascular system.
Type O blood is associated with the lowest risk of coronary artery disease. People with type A, B, and AB have risks 5%, 10%, and 23% higher than those with type O, respectively.
Although nearly 80% of people who undergo angioplasty and stenting discuss the procedure with their doctor, less than 20% are told about possible drawbacks, and only 10% are told about other options.
The new wireless implantable cardioverter-defibrillator will likely be useful for people at risk for a life-threatening arrhythmia who do not need the device to pace a slow or fast heart rhythm.
Although new blood thinners such as dabigatran (Pradaxa) and rivaroxaban (Xarelto) do not require regular monitoring, people who manage well on warfarin may want to stay on warfarin until additional information on these new drugs becomes available.
Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors are important to the length and quality of life in people with heart disease or hypertension. Doctors do not agree on the value of these drugs in people undergoing bypass surgery.
Restless legs syndrome lasting more than three years appears to increase the risk of developing coronary artery disease in women.
The health of a person with a sudden cardiac arrest who is admitted to a hospital through the emergency department may be as important to the outcome as the quality of care the person receives.
A study conducted at Massachusetts General Hospital has confirmed that a vaccine designed to raise levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) temporarily restores insulin secretion in people with type 1 diabetes.