heart-letter
Depression can often develop as a result of a heart attack or cardiac surgery, and has more serious effects on heart health and overall health than depression that was present before a heart attack.
Some research suggests that cholesterol-lowering statins may help prevent narrowing or hardening of the aortic valve, but there is not enough evidence to indicate you should start taking a statin if you are not taking one already.
An excess of aldosterone, a hormone produced by the adrenal glands, causes hypertension in some people. Treatment depends on whether one gland or both is affected.
Research found that people who have a home defibrillator for use in case of a cardiac emergency tended to forget how to use the device over time. If you have such a device, it is vital to know how to use it and to maintain this knowledge.
I know that exercise is good for my heart, which is one reason why I took up long-distance running. But I have heard that marathon running damages the heart. Is that true?
If you drink tea, taking it with milk seems to negate any positive effect from the antioxidants it contains. However, there is still no definite evidence that tea can protect you from heart disease.
My resting heart rate is on the high side, and it rises quickly when I exercise. I am afraid to go faster than 2 miles an hour on the treadmill, and I don’t feel like I’m getting a real workout. Is it dangerous for me to go over my target heart rate?
While people with high blood pressure are typically told to abstain from alcohol, a study suggests that moderate alcohol consumption may help prevent them from having a heart attack.
In addition to their known benefits as drugs that lower blood pressure, research suggests that thiazide diuretics, beta blockers, and ACE inhibitors may also help protect and strengthen bones.
With the failure of torcetrapib, a drug that its maker hoped would raise HDL cholesterol, people seeking to lower their heart disease risk should rely on traditional strategies: exercise, diet, weight control.