Narrowing of the carotid arteries can restrict blood flow to the brain and increase the risk of stroke. Treatments include surgery or stent placement, but this usually is done only if the artery is blocked by more than 70% or there are symptoms.
A flu shot may lower the risk of having a heart attack, a stroke, heart failure, or another major cardiac event-including death-by about a third over the following year. It’s best to get the vaccine in the fall, but January isn’t too late.
Within two years of getting a stent, about one in five people needs noncardiac surgery. Only those who needed emergency surgery or who had advanced heart disease faced a higher risk of a major cardiac event during that surgery, according to a new study.
Chest pain from heart disease can mimic pain caused by heartburn or pericarditis. Likewise, peripheral artery disease may be mistaken for arthritis of the knees, hip, or back. Understanding the differences makes it easier to deal with pain.
Beta blockers can cause side effects such as trouble getting or keeping an erection. This side effect is less common with other classes of blood pressure medications, which may also offer better protection against stroke.
For people with cardiovascular disease, exercise may boost survival just as much as taking medications.
A daily low-dose aspirin can help stave off heart attacks and certain clot-caused strokes. But fewer than half of the people who could benefit from this drug take it, while many others take it when they shouldn’t.
Quitting smoking is a huge step forward for improving health and extending life. To fully reap the benefits, it’s important to take steps to remain smoke-free for years to come.
Some studies have found low vitamin D levels among people with illnesses such as cancer, diabetes and heart disease. But a new review of medical evidence says it’s unlikely that low vitamin D caused the diseases. Researchers looked at almost 500 studies. They fell into 2 main types. The observational studies took a look at people who had high or low levels of vitamin D in their bodies. They found higher rates of heart disease, cancer, diabetes and other diseases among people with low vitamin D. The other type of study compared people who were randomly assigned to receive vitamin D pills or placebo (fake) pills. These studies did not find any health effects for the people who received the real vitamin D pills. The only exception was for older adults, especially women. Those who took vitamin D were less likely to die during the studies.