Summer’s heat and humidity can be dangerous. It’s important to stay hydrated, avoid excessive physical exertion and undue sun exposure on hot, humid days, and be alert for warning signs pf heat exhaustion or heat stroke.
Sleep apnea can damage the heart or cause rhythm problems. Treating the apnea may stop or reverse this damage.
A study based on data from the Women's Health Initiative suggests that a high resting heart rate is an indicator of risk of heart attack in middle-aged women.
A study in Greece found that men who napped regularly were significantly less likely to die of heart disease. Naps also tend to reduce fatigue and stress and improve alertness and mood.
I have a deep muscle massage every month or so. After my sister had a stroke, I started worrying that my massages could loosen any plaque in my carotid arteries, which could make me have a stroke. Could this happen?
Researchers found that women who did not express their feelings during marital arguments were at higher risk of dying prematurely.
Results of a trial showed that exercise and weight loss combined with the DASH diet for blood pressure control achieved a greater reduction in systolic blood pressure than the diet alone.
High blood pressure increases the risk of stroke and plays a role in cognitive decline. Simple lifestyle changes such as eating a healthy diet, exercising, and losing weight can lower blood pressure.
People who take warfarin to prevent blood clots who need to undergo a surgical procedure generally need to stop taking the drug a few days beforehand, but for those who are at high risk of a clot, taking heparin instead for a few days may be necessary.
Blood pressure tends to increase with age as arteries stiffen. From midlife onward, the focus should be on the systolic number, which tends to rise more sharply in women after menopause than in men of similar age.