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Home » Newsletters » Harvard Heart Letter

Harvard Heart Letter

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When it comes to your heart, you can’t afford to act on dubious or downright false information. Now there’s a source of expert advice and authoritative heart research that comes to you directly from the more than 8,000 doctors and researchers at Harvard Medical School. The Harvard Heart Letter provides eight pages of monthly heart news for readers who may already suffer from heart disease (or their family members) and for people concerned about their risk who wish to take steps towards positive change.

The Harvard Heart Letter is your trustworthy source of heart health information. It will put you in closer touch with everything that’s happening right now in the frontiers of cardiac medicine. With every issue the focus is on the latest medical advances that can help you live a longer, healthier life.

In the Harvard Heart Letter you’ll find heart news on important and relevant topics, such as:

  • hypertension guidelines: how low should your blood pressure be, and what can you do to lower yours
  • the good and the bad of cholesterol and steps you can take to manage your cholesterol levels—and just low your cholesterol target should really be
  • how best to prepare for a cardiac emergency
  • does eating fish really help prevent heart disease
  • the connection between poor sleep and heart trouble
  • Whether chelation therapy is all it’s cracked up to be … and much more.

The Harvard Heart Letter will give you straight answers, put the risks and benefits into perspective, and help you make informed decisions that can protect your heart, improve your health, and increase longevity. It’s a source of information you can trust …with all your heart.

The following reviews have been left for this newsletter. Log in and leave a review of your own.

One of my greatest challenges is keeping abreast of the latest technology & research and the monthly newsletter is a great help. Keep up the good work. KCT, Elmhurst, IL
There is a good mix of articles. I read this for my husband who has had a stroke, has apnea and a-fib. It helps me know what to ask the doctor. RP, Warrington, PA
I am a Cardiac Rehab nurse and believe the Harvard Heart Letter helps me easily stay current regarding heart disease news and research. I use the information frequently with my patients and recommend the publication to them. I always enjoy receiving each new issue. Keep up the great work! LWR, Clemson, SC
My health is very important to my family and myself. I love receiving your newsletters because it helps us keep informed about what we can do to live a long and healthy life. Every article is important to us, and we just want to thank you for the extensive work you do to improve our lives. Thank You. JSD, (13 years old) Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Excellent, on the very short list of publications I consider authoritative. D.A. New York City
When first diagnosed with coronary artery disease my first reaction was a mixture of anxiety and confusion. Suddenly what seemed normal became complicated. My heart and health, which rarely crossed my mind in the past, now required my complete attention. Worse, I realized I didn’t know enough to make good decisions about my condition. So I decided to subscribe to the Harvard Heart Letter. Harvard Medical School, it seemed to me, was a very famous and very trustworthy place for information. I was also confused because it seemed like dozens of stories and reports I found on the Internet contradicted each other. It’s difficult to know what to believe or what action to take. The Harvard Heart Letter provides the information I need to stay informed about heart health and more importantly puts it into perspective – all in language that I can understand. With valuable information from the Harvard Heart Letter, I now have the peace of mind that I am an informed partner in my own treatment. What were once anxious visits to my cardiologist are now more active and effective discussions of treatment options, medications, and outcomes. J. Malloy, CT

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Articles in the January 2009 issue of Harvard Heart Letter include:

  • Searching for health information
  • Calculating your heart attack risk
  • Make your health information personal
  • Observing JUPITER
  • Nine tips for a healthier 2009
  • Editors' note
  • Ask the doctor: Is bundle branch block serious?
  • Ask the doctor: Is it possible to reverse coronary artery disease?
  • Changing picture of atherosclerosis
  • Navigating the ocean of health information
  • Ask the doctor: Are big surges in blood pressure dangerous?
  • Links to resources for creating a personal health record
  • January 2009 references and further reading

View the complete issue »

Articles in the February 2009 issue of Harvard Heart Letter include:

  • Six minutes to save a life
  • Cardiac arrest: When minutes matter
  • Bypass results vary by hospital
  • Spotlight on heart tests: C-reactive protein testing comes of age
  • Generic heart drugs as good as brand names
  • Two-way street between depression and heart disease
  • Heart beat: Preeclampsia poses later heart risk
  • Heart beat: Statins, aspirin affect prostate cancer test
  • Heart beat: Trial gives nod to home warfarin monitoring
  • Heart beat: When success leads to failure
  • Heart beat: C+E get an F for heart protection
  • Heart beat: Beware cardiac arrest after heart attack
  • Follow-up
  • Ask the doctor: What does an enlarged heart signify?
  • Ask the doctor: Could my statin or exercise be affecting my kidneys?
  • Tracking down generic alternatives to brand-name drugs
  • Links to Home INR monitoring information
  • February 2009 references and further reading

View the complete issue »

Articles in the March 2009 issue of Harvard Heart Letter include:

  • March 2009 references and further reading
  • The flap over mitral valve prolapse
  • Snapshot of the American diet: Foods out of balance
  • Creating order from chaos: Taming atrial fibrillation
  • Heart Beat: Exercise benefits clogged leg arteries
  • Heart Beat: Gasping shouldn't delay CPR
  • In Brief
  • Ask the doctor: Can I have a catheter procedure to stop atrial fibrillation?
  • Ask the doctor: Can I exercise even though my valves are leaking a little bit?
  • Ask the doctor: Do statins affect blood pressure?

View the complete issue »

Articles in the April 2009 issue of Harvard Heart Letter include:

  • Women's heart centers
  • April 2009 references and further reading
  • Radiation in medicine: A double-edged sword
  • Women's hearts need extra attention
  • Potassium and sodium out of balance
  • Heart Beat: Binge drinking and stroke
  • Heart Beat: Osteoporosis drugs not linked to atrial fibrillation
  • In brief
  • Ask the doctor: Will taking arginine and citrulline protect my arteries?
  • Ask the doctor: Does the length of the ST segment on an electrocardiogram matter?
  • Ask the doctor: Does narrowing of the aortic valve get better on its own?

View the complete issue »

Articles in the May 2009 issue of Harvard Heart Letter include:

  • May 2009 references and further reading
  • Mindfulness in a hectic world
  • Trial renews surgery vs. stent debate
  • Take the plunge for your heart
  • On the alert for deep-vein blood clots
  • No need to avoid healthy omega-6 fats
  • Heart Beat: Mindfulness helps ease heart failure
  • Heart Beat: Say "nuts" to chips
  • Heart Beat: A weight loss "secret": Calories matter
  • Ask the doctor: How is atrial flutter different from atrial fibrillation?
  • Is donating blood good for the heart?

View the complete issue »

Articles in the June 2009 issue of Harvard Heart Letter include:

  • Heart attack risk calculators
  • June 2009 references and further reading
  • Defining a moderate-intensity workout
  • Exercise equals angioplasty for leg pain
  • Treat "mini-strokes" as an emergency, not a gentle warning
  • New guidelines refine aspirin prescription
  • Heart Beat: Atrial fibrillation and blood pressure
  • Heart Beat: Billions for heart care
  • In brief
  • Ask the doctor: How did my blood pressure suddenly become normal?
  • Ask the doctor: Why aren't prevention efforts stopping an increase in heart disease?
  • Ask the doctor: Do I need to take precautions if I stop taking warfarin before a colonoscopy?
  • Ask the doctor: Will a memory-boosting supplement interfere with my heart medications?

View the complete issue »

Articles in the July 2009 issue of Harvard Heart Letter include:

  • Implanting a biventricular pacemaker
  • July 2009 references and further reading
  • Regenerating the heart
  • Redefining myocardial infarction
  • Advanced pacemaker gets the heart in sync
  • Heart infection can pose a medical mystery
  • Heart Beat: A single pill for prevention?
  • Heart Beat: Aspirin gets a backup against atrial fibrillation
  • Heart Beat: Summer: A good season for cholesterol
  • Heart Beat: Black tea and blood pressure
  • Heart Beat: The biggest loser
  • Heart Beat: Traffic, anger strain the heart
  • On the horizon
  • Ask the doctor: Why is peanut butter "healthy" if it has saturated fat?
  • Ask the doctor: Is the term "coronary heart disease" redundant?

View the complete issue »

Articles in the August 2009 issue of Harvard Heart Letter include:

  • Trials test closing a PFO
  • August 2009 references and further reading
  • Stomach-protecting drug could block Plavix
  • Hole in the heart opens questions
  • 13 ways to add fruits and vegetables to your diet
  • When the lights suddenly go out
  • Heart Beat: New name for TIA?
  • Heart Beat: Preventable threats to survival
  • Heart Beat: Extending the time for stroke treatment
  • In Brief
  • Ask the doctor: Are isometric exercises safe for the heart?
  • Ask the doctor: What are silent heart attacks?
  • Ask the doctor: Why do I get chest pain when I don't warm up before exercising?
  • Ask the doctor: How can you tell when a leaky mitral valve needs to be fixed?

View the complete issue »

Articles in the September 2009 issue of Harvard Heart Letter include:

  • September 2009 references and further reading
  • Pain relief balancing act
  • Walk often, walk far
  • Heart Beat: Treating sleep apnea may pay off for the heart
  • Heart Beat: Double treatment for heart attack
  • Heart Beat: Anxious about angina
  • In Brief
  • Special section: Cardiovascular connections: Two-way street between heart and health
  • Special section: Cardiovascular connections: Body fat: The good, the bad, the…
  • Special section: Cardiovascular connections: Two-way street between head, heart
  • Special section: Cardiovascular connections: Psoriasis is more than skin deep
  • Special section: Cardiovascular connections: Testosterone, sex, and the heart
  • Special section: Cardiovascular connections: The ovarian connection
  • Special section: Cardiovascular connections: Skeleton key
  • Special section: Cardiovascular connections: Odd associations
  • Ask the doctor: Does exercise help damaged heart muscle?
  • Ask the doctor: Are there radiation-free tests for checking my arteries?

View the complete issue »

Articles in the October 2009 issue of Harvard Heart Letter include:

  • CLEVER trial information
  • October 2009 references and further reading
  • 11 foods that lower cholesterol
  • After a heart attack
  • Atrial fibrillation, angioplasty drugs approved
  • Cautious confirmation for easier aneurysm repair
  • Heart Beat: Big chill for cardiac arrest
  • Heart Beat: Trial Watch
  • Ask the doctor: Does heart rate affect blood pressure?
  • Ask the doctor: Should I wait to have my aortic valve replaced?
  • Ask the doctor: Are some blood vessels more prone to blockages than others?
  • Ask the doctor: Is vinegar good for the arteries?

View the complete issue »

Articles in the November 2009 issue of Harvard Heart Letter include:

  • November 2009 references and further reading
  • Sporadic high blood pressure deserves attention
  • Exercise prescription for diabetes
  • 6 steps to safer use of triple therapy
  • Using music to tune the heart
  • Heart Beat: Setting standards for pacemaker and ICD lead extraction
  • Heart Beat: Heart failure tough on B vitamins
  • Heart Beat: Statins before vascular surgery
  • Heart Beat: Go Mediterranean for the brain and heart
  • Heart Beat: Blood pressure reading affected by eating
  • In Brief
  • Ask the doctor: Is it worrisome to hear a pulse in my ear?

View the complete issue »

Articles in the December 2009 issue of Harvard Heart Letter include:

  • Another reason to get a flu shot: your heart
  • Vitamin D: a bright spot in nutrition research
  • Blood pressure: How low should you go?
  • Heart Beat: Peripheral artery disease and stroke
  • Heart Beat: Shellfish for the heart?
  • In Brief
  • Ask the doctor: Should I double up on aspirin if I think I am having a heart attack?
  • Ask the doctor: How can I keep my coronary arteries from going into painful spasms?
  • Ask the doctor: Can I take red yeast rice instead of a statin to lower my cholesterol?
  • December 2009 references and further reading

View the complete issue »

Articles in the January 2008 issue of Harvard Heart Letter include:

  • Gene tests for some, not all
  • Do-it-yourself bypass
  • Mechanical assist for heart failure
  • Repairing the heart one cell at a time
  • Heart Beat: Look alive - it's Monday!
  • Heart Beat: New vitamin helps lower cholesterol
  • Heart Beat: Chilling out
  • In Brief
  • Ask the doctor: Can I take a diuretic?
  • Ask the doctor: Can a massage cause a stroke?

View the complete issue »

Articles in the February 2008 issue of Harvard Heart Letter include:

  • Mini strokes are a maxi problem
  • Angiotensin inhibitor or blocker?
  • Surgery or angioplasty for opening a clogged neck artery?
  • Triglycerides: A big fat problem
  • Heart Beat: Sexy supplements can be bad for the heart
  • Heart Beat: Pedometer-powered walking
  • Heart Beat: New blood sugar measure
  • Follow-up
  • Ask the doctor: Is this pain from my heart?
  • Ask the doctor: Could heart surgery have affected my lung?
  • Ask the doctor: Is my blood pressure normal?
  • Ask the doctor: Are all dark chocolates good for the heart?

View the complete issue »

Articles in the March 2008 issue of Harvard Heart Letter include:

  • Troublesome medications
  • Electrocardiogram: Visualizing the heart's electrical signature
  • Focus on hormones: Estrogen therapy - benefits in the timing?
  • Focus on hormones: Testosterone therapy's benefits, risks need crystallizing
  • Heart Beat: It's never too late for healthy eating and exercise
  • Heart Beat: Lopsided decline in heart disease deaths
  • Heart Beat: Hole in the heart
  • Heart Beat: It was only a matter of time: Plant sterols in chips
  • Heart Beat: Good news keeps brewing on coffee and heart disease
  • Heart Beat: A Chia Pet for diabetes?
  • Heart Beat: Red light, green light on medications
  • Heart Beat: Checking blood pressure at home
  • Ask the doctor: Is it okay to take aspirin, Plavix, and warfarin?
  • Ask the doctor: Can a pacemaker cause dizzy spells?
  • 9 ways to protect your heart when diabetes threatens it

View the complete issue »

Articles in the April 2008 issue of Harvard Heart Letter include:

  • Angioplasty or bypass surgery?
  • Trial fails to enhance cholesterol drug's reputation
  • Big trouble from small arteries
  • State-of-the-heart therapy for prostate cancer
  • Heart Beat: Golden opportunity to fight heart disease
  • Heart Beat: Small price to pay for an extra 14 years
  • Heart Beat: Dual duty for WelChol
  • Follow-up
  • Clarification
  • Ask the doctor: Do people on warfarin need to avoid vitamin supplements that contain vitamin K?
  • Ask the doctor: Is a nuclear imaging stress test the same thing as an exercise stress test or exercise echocardiogram?
  • Ask the doctor: Are medications for ADHD safe for the heart?

View the complete issue »

Articles in the May 2008 issue of Harvard Heart Letter include:

  • Know the warning signs
  • ACCORD's discord on blood sugar control
  • It's time to accentuate the positive
  • Get a hearty start on the day
  • A new crystal ball
  • Heart Beat: Heparin: a risky bridge over troubled waters?
  • Heart Beat: Bypass surgery no barrier to sexual satisfaction
  • Heart Beat: Kudos on cholesterol?
  • Heart Beat: New guidelines for bleeding disorder
  • Heart Beat: Panic attacks linked to heart disease
  • In Brief
  • Ask the doctor: Are heart drugs causing my nighttime leg cramps?

View the complete issue »

Articles in the June 2008 issue of Harvard Heart Letter include:

  • Don't delay when heart failure threatens
  • A second look at beta blockers and blood pressure
  • Heart Beat: Warfarin home monitoring program expanded
  • Heart Beat: Chrome dome doesn't mean sicker ticker
  • Follow-up
  • Ask the doctor: Can I keep myself from fainting when I have blood drawn?
  • Ask the doctor: Is high blood pressure in the morning a problem?
  • Protecting the heart during noncardiac surgery

View the complete issue »

Articles in the July 2008 issue of Harvard Heart Letter include:

  • Age no barrier to blood pressure control
  • Going after angiotensin
  • Fish and fish oil: Good for most folks, but not all
  • Does fitness offset fatness?
  • Taking heart disease to new heights
  • Heart beat: Air pollution fails the heart, vitamins may help
  • Heart beat: Heart-stopping thrills
  • Heart beat: Hands-only CPR
  • Heart beat: Sweeter note sounded for iPod users
  • Heart beat: Calcium scan benefit still uncertain
  • In brief
  • Ask the doctor: Should I worry about my low diastolic pressure?
  • Ask the doctor: Does Tricor cause gallstones?
  • Streamlined CPR guidelines a life-saving move

View the complete issue »

Articles in the August 2008 issue of Harvard Heart Letter include:

  • Heart Beat: Dangers of skipping medications after a heart attack
  • Slow rehabilitation of drug-coated stents
  • Seeing the heart with sound
  • Hypertension and diabetes - double trouble
  • Balancing hope and reality in heart failure
  • Joint inflammation may point the finger at heart disease
  • When quitters are winners
  • Heart beat: Trial questions beta blockers for all before noncardiac surgery
  • Heart beat: DASH diet ignored
  • In brief
  • Ask the doctor: How long do I need to keep taking Plavix?
  • Ask the doctor: Can I have my hernia fixed while taking Plavix?
  • Ask the doctor: Are community heart check-ups worth doing?
  • Ask the doctor: Is sotalol making me tired and heavier?
  • Get the lead out

View the complete issue »

Articles in the September 2008 issue of Harvard Heart Letter include:

  • Checking blood pressure: Do try this at home
  • Aches and pains - is your statin to blame?
  • Mediterranean diet sails well in the USA
  • Heart beat: Post-heart attack angina common, and commonly untreated
  • Heart beat: Heart disease a major killer among people with HIV/AIDS
  • In brief
  • Ask the doctor: What's the difference between blood sugar and hemoglobin A1c?
  • Ask the doctor: What's the connection between statins and coenzyme Q10?
  • Measuring blood pressure at home

View the complete issue »

Articles in the October 2008 issue of Harvard Heart Letter include:

  • Good sources of potassium
  • Warning signs of a heart attack or stroke
  • Harvard Heart Letter October 2008: References and further reading
  • Dial 911 when a heart attack has your number
  • Alcohol's cardiac effects differ by sex
  • Ankle-brachial index
  • Smaller surgery speeds recovery from valve fix
  • Heart beat: Coffee: A connection to good health?
  • Heart beat: CT scans may interfere with pacemakers, other devices
  • Heart beat: Tapping the power of potassium
  • In brief
  • Ask the doctor: Is my blood pressure medicine changing my ability to taste?
  • Ask the doctor: How is a blocked stent fixed?
  • Ask the doctor: How do I know if my new valve isn't working correctly?

View the complete issue »

Articles in the November 2008 issue of Harvard Heart Letter include:

  • More information on no-surgery valve repair
  • Do you have sleep apnea?
  • Harvard Heart Letter November 2008: References and further reading
  • More information on the long QT syndrome
  • Sleep apnea wakes up heart disease
  • Flap over tilapia sends the wrong message
  • No-surgery valve repair puts excitement to the test
  • Living with long QT syndrome
  • Slow down and savor the flavor
  • Heart Beat: Drugs, angioplasty nearly equal for angina relief
  • Heart Beat: Uncertainty dogs Zetia and Vytorin
  • In brief
  • Ask the doctor: Is low blood pressure a problem?
  • Ask the doctor: Are there different kinds of heart failure?

View the complete issue »

Articles in the December 2008 issue of Harvard Heart Letter include:

  • More reading on resistant hypertension
  • Folic acid and folate in foods
  • December 2008 references and further reading
  • Resistant hypertension needs special attention
  • Wrist artery a safe approach to the heart
  • Beats per minute a signal of heart health
  • Folic acid: Too much of a good thing?
  • Pre-dental antibiotics for few, not many
  • Heart Beat: New COPD medications seem okay for the heart
  • Heart Beat: Green tea and statins
  • Heart Beat: Hot flashes and the heart
  • In Brief
  • Ask the doctor: Is it dangerous to have calcium in the aorta?
  • Ask the doctor: Do calcium supplements counteract calcium-channel blockers?
  • Ask the doctor: Can you get a stent after bypass surgery and vice versa?

View the complete issue »

Articles in the January 2007 issue of Harvard Heart Letter include:

  • Are you prepared for a cardiac emergency?
  • Making connections good for the heart and soul
  • Talking, tools make for better medical decisions
  • Ask the doctor: Can coronary artery grafts break?
  • Ask the doctor: Is it okay to stop taking warfarin when atrial fibrillation stops?
  • Ask the doctor: Do I need a thallium stress test every year?
  • Reader to Reader
  • Trying times for painkiller choices
  • Heart Beat: Real age - diabetes
  • How qualified are health claims for food?
  • Heart attack warning signs
  • Defibrillators deliver the shock of a lifetime

View the complete issue »

Articles in the February 2007 issue of Harvard Heart Letter include:

  • Simple changes in diet can protect you against friendly fire
  • Put some bite into heart disease prevention
  • Blood pressure drugs can boost blood sugar
  • Fish: Friend or foe?
  • Heart Beat: Dancing away from heart failure
  • Heart Beat: Too soon to sell a gene test for warfarin?
  • Heart Beat: Is there an afterlife for pacemakers and defibrillators?
  • Ask the doctor: What are the symptoms of, and tests for, an enlarged heart?
  • Ask the doctor: What's the skinny on fat-free half-and-half?

View the complete issue »

Articles in the March 2007 issue of Harvard Heart Letter include:

  • New drug fizzles at raising HDL
  • Some blood pressure drugs act as a skeleton key
  • Heart Beat: Alcohol and high blood pressure
  • Heart Beat: Fatal attraction?
  • In Brief
  • Ask the doctor: Do grapes and grape juice protect the heart like wine does?
  • Ask the doctor: Is it dangerous for me to go over my target heart rate?

View the complete issue »

Articles in the April 2007 issue of Harvard Heart Letter include:

  • Mixed marks for heart surgery report cards
  • Aldosteronism: Too much of a good thing
  • Statins for aortic valve narrowing?
  • Different shades of gray for post-heart attack depression
  • Heart Beat: Home defibrillator skills slip away
  • Heart Beat: Parkinson's drugs linked to heart valve trouble
  • Heart Beat: New Start! for exercise
  • Heart Beat: Tea with a twist
  • Ask the doctor: Is a lot of exercise bad for the heart?
  • Ask the doctor: Does it matter when I take a statin?
  • Report cards on cardiac surgeons and hospitals
  • Heart Disease and Diabetes
  • Life-saving training

View the complete issue »

Articles in the May 2007 issue of Harvard Heart Letter include:

  • Sleep problems, heart disease often in bed together
  • No benefit for late angioplasty after a heart attack
  • Late blood clots tarnish drug-coated stents
  • Heart scans hold intermediate promise
  • A new way to control blood pressure
  • New tool refines heart risk prediction
  • What the latest diet trial really means
  • Heart beat: As the hammock swings
  • Heart beat: States of the heart
  • Heart beat: Study suggests limiting use of aspirin plus warfarin
  • Ask the doctor: Is weight lifting safe if I have a stent?
  • Ask the doctor: Is my breathlessness a heart or lung problem?
  • Ask the doctor: Does a low ejection fraction doom me to inactivity?
  • Ask the doctor: Can eye drops for glaucoma affect the heart?

View the complete issue »

Articles in the June 2007 issue of Harvard Heart Letter include:

  • Yellow light on pain relievers
  • Reception still fuzzy for fast CT scans of the heart
  • COURAGE to make choices
  • Heart Beat: Big bend for blood pressure?
  • Heart Beat: High pulse pressure poses risk for atrial fibrillation
  • In Brief
  • Heart Beat: A heartfelt legacy from long-lived parents
  • Heart Beat: More evidence against trans fats
  • Follow-up
  • Ask the doctor: Can I stop taking my blood pressure medicine?
  • Ask the doctor: Should I take nitroglycerin during exercise?
  • A road map to life in the fat lane

View the complete issue »

Articles in the July 2007 issue of Harvard Heart Letter include:

  • What triggers heart attacks?
  • Guidelines offer women a change of heart
  • Heart Beat: Drive-through angioplasty?
  • Heart Beat: Applying cardiac advances saves lives
  • Heart Beat: Migraine, heart disease linked
  • Ask the doctor: Is warfarin turning my toes purple?
  • Ask the doctor: What causes C-reactive protein levels to vary?
  • Ask the doctor: Can you really prevent heart disease?
  • Ask the doctor: Why does my father feel wires poking him in the chest months after open-heart surgery?

View the complete issue »

Articles in the August 2007 issue of Harvard Heart Letter include:

  • Outlook on diabetes drug less than rosy
  • Aspirin: A user's guide to who needs it and how much to take
  • Heart Beat: Longer workouts better for boosting good cholesterol
  • Heart Beat: Pacemakers, iPods out of sync
  • Heart Beat: Talking it up: speech and atrial fibrillation
  • In Brief
  • Correction and Clarification
  • Ask the doctor: Are Lipitor and Crestor equally good for me?
  • Ask the doctor: Do beta blockers and ACE inhibitors help or harm the heart?
  • Calculating your heart attack risk

View the complete issue »

Articles in the September 2007 issue of Harvard Heart Letter include:

  • Shake the salt habit for a longer life
  • When high cholesterol is a family affair
  • Skipping a beat - the surprise of palpitations
  • Heart Beat: Paying attention to potassium in heart failure
  • Heart Beat: A square of chocolate keeps the doctor away?
  • Heart Beat: Diabetes poses danger for the heart, body
  • Heart Beat: Waist watching
  • Heart Beat: Warfarin trumps aspirin for stroke prevention in elderly
  • Follow-up
  • Ask the doctor: Is red yeast rice good for lowering cholesterol?
  • Ask the doctor: Why is my blood pressure higher in one arm than the other?

View the complete issue »

Articles in the October 2007 issue of Harvard Heart Letter include:

  • Scaling back on antibiotics
  • Driving under the influence of abnormal heart rhythms
  • Add intervals of intensity for a stronger heart
  • Sticking it to blood pressure?
  • Heart Beat: Nothing fancy
  • Heart Beat: Beans, beans, the magical fruit
  • Heart Beat: The Mysterious Human Heart
  • Ask the doctor: Does Fosamax cause atrial fibrillation?
  • Ask the doctor: Is it safe to fly with heart failure?
  • Antibiotics before dental work
  • Driving and abnormal heart rhythms

View the complete issue »

Articles in the November 2007 issue of Harvard Heart Letter include:

  • Come back to the garden of eatin'
  • No denying the power of produce
  • In with the good, out with the bad
  • Translating good food into better diets
  • 12 tips for holiday eating
  • Ask the doctor: Is canned fish good for the heart?
  • Ask the doctor: How many calories do I need?
  • Diets for the heart

View the complete issue »

Articles in the December 2007 issue of Harvard Heart Letter include:

  • Genetic help for a blood-thinner balancing act
  • A blood pressure problem that's isolated in name only
  • Heart Beat: Teachable moment
  • Heart Beat: Steering clear of pacemaker infections
  • Heart Beat: Newer bypass technique may be safer for women
  • Heart Beat: ACE, ARB duet questioned
  • Heart Beat: Take a shot against heart disease
  • Heart Beat: Too few get the best therapy for an ailing heart
  • Ask the doctor: How do I handle conflicting advice about exercise?
  • Ask the doctor: Is yerba mate good for my heart?

View the complete issue »

Articles in the November 2006 issue of Harvard Heart Letter include:

  • Putting activity in your day
  • Simplicity still rules for heart disease forecast
  • Take it with a grain of salt
  • Heart Beat: Baby, it's cold outside
  • Heart Beat: Getting away from secondhand smoke
  • Heart Beat: Take aspirin before ibuprofen, not after
  • Heart Beat: Portion distortion
  • Heart Beat: Spicy medicine, or just spice?
  • In Brief
  • Ask the doctor: What is vasospastic angina?
  • Ask the doctor: Does a collapsed stent need fixing?

View the complete issue »

Articles in the December 2006 issue of Harvard Heart Letter include:

  • Sudden death isn't always so sudden
  • Artificial heart helps the beat go on
  • Salt substitutes deserve a place at the table
  • Squeezing your way to lower blood pressure
  • Heart Beat: What foods are rich in antioxidants?
  • Heart Beat: Searching for dollar-saving generics
  • Heart Beat: Statins may need a boost in blacks
  • Heart Beat: Stick it to 'em
  • Follow-up: Pacemakers and MRIs
  • MRI safe pacemakers?

View the complete issue »

From the editors of the Harvard Heart Letter. The following are links to online information mentioned in past issues of Harvard Heart Letter or to extra information we couldn't fit into the printed version.

December 2009

  • December 2009 references and further reading

November 2009

  • November 2009 references and further reading

October 2009

  • CLEVER trial information
  • October 2009 references and further reading

September 2009

  • September 2009 references and further reading

August 2009

  • Trials test closing a PFO
  • August 2009 references and further reading

July 2009

  • Implanting a biventricular pacemaker
  • July 2009 references and further reading

June 2009

  • Heart attack risk calculators
  • June 2009 references and further reading

May 2009

  • May 2009 references and further reading
  • Mindfulness in a hectic world

April 2009

  • Women's heart centers
  • April 2009 references and further reading

March 2009

  • March 2009 references and further reading

February 2009

  • Six minutes to save a life
  • Cardiac arrest: When minutes matter
  • Tracking down generic alternatives to brand-name drugs
  • Links to Home INR monitoring information
  • February 2009 references and further reading

January 2009

  • Searching for health information
  • Calculating your heart attack risk
  • Links to resources for creating a personal health record
  • January 2009 references and further reading

December 2008

  • More reading on resistant hypertension
  • Folic acid and folate in foods
  • December 2008 references and further reading

November 2008

  • More information on no-surgery valve repair
  • Do you have sleep apnea?
  • Harvard Heart Letter November 2008: References and further reading
  • More information on the long QT syndrome

October 2008

  • Good sources of potassium
  • Warning signs of a heart attack or stroke
  • Harvard Heart Letter October 2008: References and further reading

September 2008

  • Measuring blood pressure at home

July 2008

  • Streamlined CPR guidelines a life-saving move

November 2007

  • Diets for the heart

October 2007

  • Antibiotics before dental work
  • Driving and abnormal heart rhythms

August 2007

  • Calculating your heart attack risk

April 2007

  • Report cards on cardiac surgeons and hospitals
  • Heart Disease and Diabetes
  • Life-saving training

January 2007

  • Heart attack warning signs
  • Defibrillators deliver the shock of a lifetime

December 2006

  • MRI safe pacemakers?

August 2006

  • August 2006 HeartBeat references
  • More information on Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

July 2006

  • July 2006 HeartBeat references

June 2006

  • Checking up on apo B and non-HDL cholesterol
  • June 2006 HeartBeat references
  • Ask the Doctor: Guidelines for preventing future strokes after a stroke or TIA

May 2006

  • Eating to lower blood pressure
  • May 2006 HeartBeat references

April 2006

  • Problems with the Pyramid
  • Write a letter for MRI-safe pacemakers and ICDs
  • April 2006 HeartBeat references

March 2006

  • Reading about peripheral arterial disease
  • March 2006 HeartBeat references
  • Check your fitness
  • Statement on sterols

February 2006

  • Resources for CPR
  • Flavonol content of foods
  • Targets for LDL (bad) cholesterol

January 2006

  • Exercise resources
  • Your heart disease risk
  • List of support groups
  • Disposing unused or unwanted medications

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