Category: harvardhealth_news_UNDEFINED

Gadgets that can call for help in an emergency—such as a “smart” speaker, a mobile phone designed for older adults, or an alert button—have limitations. For example, a smart speaker has a limited listening range, and may not hear if someone is calling for help from another room. Smartphones and alert buttons won’t do any good if they aren’t being worn or if they’re not within reach. It’s best to learn about gadget limitations before investing in one.

Compared with eating 16 grams of fiber per day, eating 35 grams of fiber per day is associated with weight loss and lower levels of sugar, cholesterol, and inflammation, according to a study published online March 6, 2020, by PLOS Medicine.

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force has expanded screening guidelines for hepatitis C. Now all adults ages 18 to 79 are urged to get a screening, as opposed to just people born between 1945 and 1965.

A study published March 24, 2020, by the journal Heart found that people who took a daily warm or hot bath had a 28% lower risk of cardiovascular disease and a 26% lower risk of stroke, compared with people who didn’t take frequent tub baths.

A sugary diet contributes to weight gain and other factors that boost heart disease risk, including inflammation, disrupted blood sugar control, and increased cholesterol. The typical American diet is very high in added sugar, nearly half of which comes from sugar-sweetened beverages. Another 30% comes from baked goods such as cookies, brownies, cakes, pies, doughnuts, sweet rolls, and pastries. People don’t need to completely give up sweet treats but should enjoy them just once or twice a week rather than daily.

Treatment for atrial fibrillation depends on a person’s symptoms as well as their age and other health conditions. One approach uses medications to slow the heart; another involves controlling the heart’s unstable rhythm.

Living with a dog may help protect against heart disease and help people live longer. Potential perks of dog ownership include lower blood pressure, a lower resting heart rate, and possible small improvements in cholesterol levels, perhaps because dog owners are less sedentary than non-owners. But dogs may also provide emotional and social benefits, such as reducing loneliness and anxiety, encouraging people to interact with neighbors, and fostering stronger ties to the community.

The blood vessels that supply the heart may narrow with age, known as coronary artery disease. But people have misconceptions about this condition, which is responsible for the heart attacks that strike somewhere in this country roughly every 40 seconds. For example, people don’t usually experience angina (the classic symptom of coronary artery disease) until an artery is 70% to 90% blocked. Angioplasty plus a stent to reopen a blocked coronary artery can be lifesaving when done during a heart attack. For people with stable angina, a stent can relieve symptoms but has not been proved to prevent a future heart attack or extend a person’s life.

Golf is a low-impact sport with several features that make it a good exercise for people who have or are at risk for heart disease. Playing 18 holes of golf without riding in a cart involves walking four to five miles, which easily meets the recommended daily step count of 10,000 steps. It also provides a chance to socialize with friends and to spend time in a relaxing natural environment, which may help lower stress.

At-home genetic tests such as 23andMe and Ancestry Health are unlikely to help predict a person’s odds of heart disease. The results reveal only limited information about a person’s risk for abnormally high cholesterol (a condition known as familial hypercholesterolemia) or harmful blood clots (known as hereditary thrombophilia). Most cases of coronary artery disease, the most common form of heart disease, are polygenic, meaning they result from changes in multiple genes.