Category: heart-letter

Organizations that track and compile data on the quality of hospitals can help prospective patients make better decisions about their care.

A brief summary of research with potential future applications: closing off the left atrial appendage to prevent clots, stimulating the brains of stroke victims with laser beams, and a new type of stent that dissolves over time.

Is it true that drinking yerba mate can lower blood pressure and cholesterol?

Another large study adds to the evidence that taking vitamin C and vitamin E to protect against heart disease is not effective.

Studies have shown that people with heart failure can benefit from the drug spironolactone, but concerns about possible side effects may have made some doctors reluctant to prescribe it.

Nuts are considered a healthy food when eaten in moderate amounts, but chewing them thoroughly seems to release more of the nut’s nutritional value.

Potassium helps fight high blood pressure, but most Americans do not get enough potassium from their diet. Eating more fruits, vegetables, beans, and certain other foods boosts potassium levels.

The multiple nutrients that occur naturally in fruits and vegetables are beneficial to the heart and the rest of the body in numerous ways, and thus should be a part of everyone’s diet.

When an artery becomes narrowed by plaque, the body responds by growing and strengthening nearby blood vessels to move blood around the narrowing, possibly preventing heart disease. Vigorous exercise can stimulate this blood vessel growth.

For people with severe heart failure, a pumping device called a left ventricular assist may prolong life for those who are not healthy enough for transplant surgery, or who face a lenghty wait on the transplant list.