Harvard Heart Letter: May 2007

Inadequate sleep appears to increase substances in the body that are linked to inflammation, a factor in heart disease. Those with heart disease can suffer from sleep problems. Better sleep habits can sometimes help.

Angioplasty to treat chest pain will be most efffective if the procedure is done within the first 12 hours after onset. If you have had symptoms for longer, drug treatment is likely to be as effective as angioplasty.

After several years on the market, there is clear evidence that drug-coated stents pose a small but definite risk of causing blood clots. If you have chest pain, adopting a healthier lifestyle may be a safer alternative to having a stent implanted.

CT scans can detect calcium in arteries, but the presence of calcium does not automatically indicate the presence of heart disease. The test may still be of some benefit to those with an intermediate risk but without symptoms.

The FDA has approved a new blood pressure drug that works by inhibiting hte production of renin, a substance made by the kidneys that is the first step in the body's system of regulating blood pressure.

The Framingham heart disease risk-assessment tool has been refined and improved with the addition of several new risk factors that contribute to the overall score and make it a more accurate predictor of heart disease risk.

The Atkins diet helped women lose weight more quickly compared to other diets, but long-term eating strategies that match food intake to calories burned are the most effective way to maintain a healthy weight.

A Greek study found that taking a nap may decrease the risk of heart disease, but the results may be due to other factors, such as a lower-stress lifestyle, so they cannot be interpreted as cause and effect.

A survey by the federal government provides data for a visual representation showing the incidence of heart disease in the United States.

The combination of aspirin and warfarin is prescribed to prevent clotting, but it does not have this effect in all heart disease patients, and can sometimes cause stomach bleeding.

I am 58 and have had several stents implanted. I used to lift weights, but stopped after getting the stents. My blood pressure is good, and I take medications. I want to resume lifting but worry that it could cause a heart attack. Is that possible?

I had a quadruple bypass seven years ago. A few months back I found myself taking frequent short breaths when I climbed the stairs. Once I stopped exerting myself, my breathing soon returned to normal. Is this due to a problem with my heart or lungs?

At age 64 I had a severe heart attack that left me with a 20% ejection fraction. A recent echocardiogram showed that my heart is getting larger. I have no shortness of breath or swelling, but wonder how long I have before symptoms of heart failure appear?

I was recently diagnosed with glaucoma. My eye doctor prescribed eye drops to reduce the pressure inside my eyes. After a short time I had to stop using them because they made me dizzy and my heartbeat felt strange. What else can I do for my eyes?