Category: heart-letter

I am scheduled for an electrical cardioversion for my atrial fibrillation. What should I expect?

Among the different types of whole grains, oats appear to be the most effective when it comes to lowering cholesterol levels. A good option is hot cereal made from steel-cut or rolled oats.

Taking part in a cardiac rehabilitation program following a heart event helps people live better and maybe longer. All too frequently, people don’t enter a program because of the lack of a doctor’s referral or other barriers to participation.

A highly sensitive version of a blood test currently used to diagnose heart attacks may one day also help doctors predict dangerous heart events in people at risk.

Symptoms of GERD can mimic the pain of a heart attack or angina. Proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs) offer welcome relief for people with chronic heartburn, but as with other powerful drugs, it’s important to use them wisely.

Years of toil against high blood pressure, clogged arteries, and obesity erode the heart’s capacity to pump effectively. However, engaging in positive lifestyle habits at any age can delay the onset of heart failure symptoms.

People who spend at least an hour a week in close contact with a smoker may have a 30% higher risk of stroke compared with people who are not exposed to secondhand smoke.

The latest guidelines used to determine who should take a cholesterol-lowering statin to prevent heart disease appear to be more accurate and cost-effective than the previous guidelines.

An abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a bulge in the wall of the body’s largest artery (aorta) where it passes through the abdomen. Targeted screening and improved repair techniques may minimize the danger of this life-threatening condition.

In the United States, about seven in 10 adults with heart disease follow national guidelines that recommend taking a low-dose aspirin to lower the risk of heart attack or stroke. A low-dose aspirin tablet is 81 milligrams.