Salt intake affects blood pressure, and can increase the risk of heart disease. Most of the salt people eat is added to foods during processing, so it is relatively easy to reduce salt consumption by choosing foods more carefully.
This year I’ve had four urinary tract infections. Each cleared up with antibiotic treatment. Now, my doctor is prescribing a prophylactic antibiotic, Bactrim 400/80, that I’m supposed to take every day. Are there long-term risks in this?
A number of odd connections exist between body parts and the cardiovascular system.
The American Heart Association recommends that people with type 2 diabetes should undertake an exercise program combining aerobic exercise with strength training. This strategy is best for protecting the heart and improving muscles’ response to insulin.
Deep-vein thrombosis is a clot that forms in a leg or arm vein. Sometimes a piece of the clot can break away and travel through the bloodstream. If the clot lodges in a lung, it can be fatal.
Statins have been shown to reduce the risk of cardiac disease in women as well as in men. They may also reduce the risk of breast cancer and slow the progression of cognitive decline, and in general, their benefits seem to outweigh their risks.
Brief updates on a possible connection between age-related macular degeneration and heart disease, the effectiveness of diuretics to treat metabolic syndrome, and an alternate way to test for claudication.
Researchers are hoping to one day be able to use stem cells to repair heart muscle damaged by a heart attack, but so far the tests have not succeeded.
Generic versions of the blood-pressure drug Norvasc will save consumers money. A high-fiber diet may lower C-reactive protein, which contributes to inflammation of arteries.