heart-letter
Taking a daily aspirin can help prevent heart attacks in men and strokes in women, but not everyone who takes aspirin should do so, because aspirin may increase the risk of stomach bleeding.
Two studies found that use of a statin or daily low-dose aspirin may artificially lower the reading of a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test.
An excess of aldosterone, a hormone produced by the adrenal glands, can increase the risk of heart disease. The problem can be treated with medication, but sometimes it is necessary to remove the glands.
Lower levels of testosterone may correlate with a higher risk of heart disease, but taking a testosterone supplement may also increase the risk of prostate cancer and reduce beneficial HDL cholesterol.
In your article on blood sugar control, you kept talking about hemoglobin A1c. I measure my blood sugar all the time, but my meter doesn’t have a setting for a percentage reading. Is there a simple connection between blood sugar and hemoglobin A1c?
Most people with diabetes eventually develop some form of heart disease, but this is not inevitable. Focusing on improving health through diet, exercise, weight loss, and lowering blood pressure and cholesterol can help prevent heart disease.
Two drugs used to treat Parkinson’s disease have been found to cause heart valve leakage. If you take one of these medications, you should ask your doctor about switching to a safer one. If no other drug is effective, watch for signs of valve trouble.
My doctor put me on a statin and told me to take it after dinner. I would rather take it with breakfast. Does it matter?
The American Heart Association has launched a web site to help people track their eating habits and exercise, and offers tips and encouragement toward living a healthier life.
A few states have begun to compile data on the success rates of cardiac surgeons, but the information may be outdated or otherwise inaccurate. One suggestion is to choose a doctor who regularly performs the surgery you need and has done it many times.