Category Archives: Heart Health

High blood pressure may be lowered by drinking cherry juice. The study found a seven percent reduction in blood pressure after participants consumed tart Montmorency cherry concentrate, in comparison to drinking a fruit-flavored beverage. A growing problem worldwide, high blood pressure is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease and is associated with various complications including ...click here to read more

Cardiovascular disease and diabetes risk is reduced with the Paleo diet in obese postmenopausal women. Lead author Caroline Blomquist explained, “Eating a Paleolithic-type diet without calorie restriction significantly improved the fatty acid profile associated with insulin sensitivity, and it reduced abdominal adiposity and body weight in obese postmenopausal women. A Paleolithic-type diet, high in polyunsaturated ...click here to read more

Coronary artery disease and stroke patients face a lower early mortality risk when following the Mediterranean diet. Researcher Professor Giovanni de Gaetano explained, “The Mediterranean diet is widely recognized as one of the healthier nutrition habits in the world. In fact, many scientific studies have shown that a traditional Mediterranean lifestyle is associated with a ...click here to read more

Cardiovascular disease risk reduced with lower LDL cholesterol and blood pressure combination. Study lead investigator Brian Ference explained, “[The results] demonstrate for the first time that LDL cholesterol and SBP [systolic blood pressure] have independent, multiplicative, and cumulative causal effects on the risk of cardiovascular disease. This suggests that a simple strategy that encourages long-term ...click here to read more

Intracerebral hemorrhage is the sudden burst of blood into brain tissue, damaging the brain. Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is a medical emergency and although it is not as common as ischemic stroke it is far deadlier. When a weakened or diseased vessel bursts and blood flows into the brain, the buildup of pressure can lead to ...click here to read more

Managing fatigue and depression in heart failure patients lowers hospitalization rates and increases life expectancy. The researchers reviewed data from 9,869 patients with a diagnosis of heart failure during a three-year period. Detailed records covering all variables, such as test results, medications, other conditions, etc., were available for 582 patients, enabling further analysis of depression ...click here to read more

Amyloids triggering Alzheimer’s disease can also raise the risk of heart failure risk. Amyloid plaques are indicative of Alzheimer’s disease, but similar deposits can also appear on the heart, too. Senior researcher Dr. Federica del Monte explained, “We found that some forms of heart failure are basically an Alzheimer’s disease in the heart. They basically ...click here to read more

Improving cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) helps lower the risk of cardiovascular disease. CRF has been long known as a predictor of cardiovascular health, hence, cardiorespiratory fitness assessment should be made part of a regular physical examination in order to have a better understanding of the patient’s cardiovascular health. Dr. Robert Ross explained, “Routine estimation of CRF ...click here to read more

Atrial fibrillation raises the risk of dementia, according to research findings. The study also found that atrial fibrillation patients taking warfarin (the blood thinner) to reduce their risk of stroke were more likely to develop dementia, compared to patients who used this medication for other conditions. The researchers looked at over 6,000 patients on warfarin ...click here to read more

Silent strokes are more common among seniors suffering from migraine headaches. Silent strokes are symptomless brain injuries that are caused by blood clot interrupting blood flow to the brain. Although previous research has identified migraines as a risk factor for stroke, researcher Dr. Teshamae Monteith explained that she does “not believe migraine sufferers should worry, ...click here to read more

Atrial fibrillation (irregular heartbeat) risk is higher with poor sleep in elderly, according to research findings. The researchers examined three sources of data to isolate and confirm the impact of inadequate sleep on atrial fibrillation. The researchers found that disrupted sleep may be an independent risk factor for atrial fibrillation. People who reported frequent nighttime ...click here to read more

The heart has valves and chambers to allow blood to enter and be released in order for the body to work. Major heart valves are the aortic valve, tricuspid valve, and the mitral valve. These valves play important roles and a problem with any of them can affect one’s heart health. One issue in particular is ...click here to read more

Heart failure is a common occurrence among the elderly, but with preventive measures you can improve the heart health and reduce the risk of cardiovascular events. The main preventative approach for heart failure is through exercise and physical activity. The articles below discuss the different ways to reduce the risk of heart failure and examine ...click here to read more

Flu season is here, and as you know, your number one defense against the virus is your annual flu shot. Last year’s flu vaccine was highly effective, but mind you, warmer temperatures of the previous winter kept the flu virus at bay as well. This year, the Farmer’s Almanac is calling for lower temperatures and ...click here to read more