heart-letter
Physical inactivity is responsible for 6% of coronary artery disease, 7% of diabetes, 10% of breast and colon cancers, and 9% of premature deaths worldwide. Increasing activity by 10% to 25% could prevent up to 1.3 million deaths per year.
Medications and devices can help many people with heart failure with low ventricular ejection fraction live longer with a better quality of life. But not all therapies are right for everyone, and treatment must be individualized.
The surgical procedures known as endarterectomy and noninvasive stenting are equally safe and effective treatments for preventing stroke in people with blocked or narrowed carotid arteries.
In addition to blood pressure, doctors are now considering all factors that increase an individual’s cardiovascular risk as a guide to whether to begin antihypertension medications.
About 50% of Americans don’t take their medications properly. A new “smart” pill that reveals whether a medication has been taken as prescribed could improve medication taking.
Developing chest pain while taking an exercise stress test is worrisome.
Blood clots that form in the legs (deep-vein thrombosis) or lungs (pulmonary embolism) can be painful, and even deadly. Prompt treatment and good follow-up can minimize the danger.
A heart attack or stroke triggers an immune response that boosts inflammation and speeds the development of atherosclerosis in artery walls. This may explain why heart attack or stroke victims are at risk for repeat events.
The combination of a beta blocker and digoxin to treat atrial fibrillation can cause the heart rate to slow too much. Most people need a resting heart rate in the 60s to 80s to feel well.
People with naturally high levels of protective HDL cholesterol have lower rates of cardiovascular disease. New studies suggest that boosting low HDL with medication may not pay off as much as lowering harmful LDL cholesterol.