Harvard Heart Letter: January 2008

Certain inherited genetic conditions increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, so having a genetic test may show whether a person is at risk for heart disease, especially if a family member has one of the conditions.

When an artery becomes narrowed by plaque, the body responds by growing and strengthening nearby blood vessels to move blood around the narrowing, possibly preventing heart disease. Vigorous exercise can stimulate this blood vessel growth.

For people with severe heart failure, a pumping device called a left ventricular assist may prolong life for those who are not healthy enough for transplant surgery, or who face a lenghty wait on the transplant list.

Researchers are hoping to one day be able to use stem cells to repair heart muscle damaged by a heart attack, but so far the tests have not succeeded.

A public service campaign aims to encourage people to make healthier lifestyle choices by thinking about them each week on Monday.

A new multivitamin includes phytosterols, which help the body block the absorption of cholesterol. Phytosterols occur naturally in plants, but in small quantities, making it difficult to eat enough from foods to obtain their benefits.

In an emergency cardiac arrest situation, rapid cooling of the body can improve a person's chance of survival and limit the possibility of brain damage.

Bystanders using defibrillators on cardiac arrest victims double their chances of survival. A new type of defibrillator provides audio guidance to help bystanders use the device properly.

I had to take hydrochlorothiazide and Lasix together. After an electrolyte imbalance, my doctors told me never to take these medications again. I recently had my aortic valve replaced, and am retaining water. Are there any diuretics I can safely take?

I have a deep muscle massage every month or so. After my sister had a stroke, I started worrying that my massages could loosen any plaque in my carotid arteries, which could make me have a stroke. Could this happen?