Harvard Heart Letter: November 2006

Several studies support the idea that adding activity that burns calories to your daily routine can help improve your health, maintain your mobility as you age, and prolong your life.

A long-running heart study resulted in a simple tool to calculate one's risk of heart disease. While there have been many newer tests and tools, they have not been able to improve upon the original.

If you are trying to watch your salt intake, pay careful attention to the amount of salt in prepared and processed foods. But not everyone benefits from eating less salt.

Winter brings increased risk of heart attack or sudden cardiac death in men. The cold can boost blood pressure suddenly, interrupt blood flow, and make blood more likely to clot.

A Surgeon General's report on secondhand smoke indicates that it is immediately harmful to the heart and blood vessels, and prohibiting smoking indoors is the safest approach.

The FDA recommends that people who take both aspirin for heart protection and ibuprofen for pain take the aspirin first, as ibuprofen can block aspirin's ability to prevent blood clots.

If you are trying to lose weight, serving your food in smaller dishes can trick your mind into eating less and feeling more satisfied.

A study suggested that taking powdered cinnamon could lower blood sugar in diabetics, but two subsequent studies showed little improvement.

Most adults over 60 do not have their blood pressure or cholesterol under control. A seat belt pad can protect a pacemaker while driving. A high dose of saturated fat interferes with blood vessel function.

I sometimes get excruciating chest pain out of the blue - almost never when I am exercising or doing something physical - that gradually goes away by itself. My doctor calls it vasospastic angina. Can you give me more information?

My brother had a stent put in during an angioplasty. Later he was told he had a blockage in the vicinity of the stent, but blood was passing through arteries around it. Two doctors said the stent can't be replaced. Shouldn't a defective stent be replaced?