Category Archives: Heart Health

Rheumatoid arthritis is a common problem causing joint inflammation, pain, stiffness, and swelling. Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic autoimmune disease, and although there is no cure early intervention can improve a patient’s quality of life. But rheumatoid arthritis doesn’t only affect the joints – in fact, a previous study found that individuals diagnosed with rheumatoid ...click here to read more

Accurate blood pressure measurements, including blood pressure differences when lying down versus standing up and sitting can be very helpful when healthcare providers are trying to monitor the condition. However, it’s important to understand the impact that each position has on blood pressure levels. There are three common positions that healthcare workers use when taking ...click here to read more

Psoriasis risk increases with high blood pressure and anti-hypertension drugs. Psoriasis is an immune-related disease affecting nearly three percent of the American population. The researchers found that in women, specifically, long-term hypertension along with the use of anti-hypertension drugs (especially beta-blockers) was associated with a higher risk of psoriasis. The researchers analyzed psoriasis cases in ...click here to read more

Are you avoiding eggs, cheese, and butter because your doctor said you have high cholesterol? Well, we have some good news for you, which may allow you to go back to eating your favorite foods once again. For years, the message was clear: avoid foods like cheese and eggs as they can raise bad cholesterol. ...click here to read more

Whether you’ve been diagnosed with high blood pressure or told you’re at risk of developing the condition, you’ve likely been advised to limit your sodium intake. But new research shows that sugar – particularly the kind found in processed foods – is more closely linked to high blood pressure than salt. Added sugars may increase ...click here to read more

Heart problems become a real concern with each passing year. There are so many contributing factors that can cause harm to our heart that it basically is under constant threat. Our heart pumps the fuel for our entire body to function, and a weak heart ultimately contributes to a weak body. Blood pressure, cholesterol, arthrosclerosis, ...click here to read more

A heart murmur happens when the blood doesn’t flow through the valves as usual, so instead of the traditional “lub-dub” sound, the heart beat may sound more like swishing in different volumes, pitches, and durations. Dr. Nisha Chandra-Strobos, chief of cardiology and professor of Mmedicine at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, said, “Where does the ...click here to read more

Chronic kidney disease patients can lower heart failure risks with cardiac resynchronization therapy. Outcomes were greater for chronic kidney disease patients who received cardiac resynchronization therapy with defibrillator, compared to those who only received an implantable cardioverter defibrillator. An implantable cardioverter defibrillator is implanted in the chest and detects abnormal heart rhythms, which could potentially ...click here to read more

A recent study uncovered that generally healthy men who undergo testosterone replacement therapy do not become more prone to getting a heart attack or stroke. The findings come from researchers at Intermountain Medical Center Heart Institute in Salt Lake city who looked at 1,472 men aged 52 and 63 all with low testosterone levels but no ...click here to read more

Diet, physical activity, blood pressure, diabetes, body mass index, and even smoking status are just some of the factors that contribute to a person’s risk of heart disease. Heart disease remains the number one killer for both men and women, although many of its risk factors are completely modifiable, meaning the condition is not inevitable. ...click here to read more

Heart failure death risk is reduced with cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT). Research has found that those with implanted CRT can have a longer lifespan than those who receive traditional implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD). The first study looked at CRT-D (CRT with defibrillator) in mildly symptomatic patients. The researchers found that patients who had CRT-D implanted ...click here to read more

Heart attack and stroke risk from hypertension is reduced by statins and blood pressure drugs. Research suggests that combining statins for cholesterol with blood pressure medications reduced the risk of heart disease by 40 percent. The trial, known as HOPE-3, could push doctors to add statins to patient’s blood pressure treatment even if they have ...click here to read more

Obstructive sleep apnea and heart disease may be linked by serum uric acid. There is much research to support a link between obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, but the mechanisms behind this link are still unknown. Recent research suggests that serum levels of uric acid may act as a ...click here to read more

Shingles raises short-term stroke and myocardial infarction risk in elderly. The findings published in the Mayo Clinic Proceedings found that seniors over the age of 50 have a 50 percent higher risk of stroke up to 90 days after a shingles episode. One-third of the 95 percent of individuals with the chickenpox virus will develop ...click here to read more