Harvard Heart Letter: June 2008

People living with heart failure need to pay attention to warning signs, such as shortness of breath, or swelling of the ankles or feet, that may indicate a worsening of their condition.

Beta blockers have helped millions of people lower their blood pressure, but for people with hypertension who do not have other cardiovascular issues or symptoms, a beta blocker might not be the most effective medication.

People who take the medication warfarin need to test their blood regularly to monitor its clotting time. A Medicare program is providing the equipment and means to do this testing at home.

Researchers found no substantive links between baldness and the risk of a heart attack, or between baldness and the buildup of plaque in carotid arteries.

Having a home defibrillator was found to be no more useful at saving the life of someone in cardiac arrest than having family members trained in CPR.

I want to donate blood, but I faint or come close to it nearly every time I have blood drawn at the doctor's office. Can I do anything to keep myself from fainting?

My blood pressure is high when I first get up in the morning, but always drops back to normal by 9 a.m. and stays that way throughout the day. I take Avapro. My doctor says I shouldn't worry about the temporary high morning pressure. What do you think?

Guidelines from the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology offer advice on protecting the heart during noncardiac surgery.