Harvard Heart Letter: May 2008

Brief updates on a possible connection between age-related macular degeneration and heart disease, the effectiveness of diuretics to treat metabolic syndrome, and an alternate way to test for claudication.

Many nights I wake up once, twice, or several times with leg cramps. The only medications I take are a statin, niacin, Plavix, and baby aspirin. Are any of them causing these aggravating cramps?

Many people do not know or recognize the warning signs of a heart attack, stroke, or cardiac arrest. Because the brain may be deprived of oxygen during such an event, quick action could save someone's life.

A clinical trial measuring the effectiveness of maintaining tight control of blood sugar in diabetics was ended early due to a higher than expected number of deaths, but keeping blood sugar below a certain level is still important for those with diabetes.

A study found that people who maintained a positive approach to life in their thoughts and feelings, referred to as high emotional vitality, had a lower risk of heart disease. Read More »

Eating a healthy breakfast has always been a smart nutritional choice. A breakfast containing whole grains and fruits may lead to reduced risk of heart attack, stroke, diabetes, or other cardiovascular ills.

Researchers with the Framingham Heart Study have developed a new tool to assess overall risk of cardiovascular disease by assigning points to various risk factors, then aligning total points with levels of risk.

People who take warfarin to prevent blood clots who need to undergo a surgical procedure generally need to stop taking the drug a few days beforehand, but for those who are at high risk of a clot, taking heparin instead for a few days may be necessary.

A survey of patients both before and several years after bypass surgery found that men were more satisfied with their sex lives than before surgery, but women were less satisfied than before.

The average American's cholesterol level has dropped for the first time, but this is due more to the prevalence of statin drugs than to improvement in people's dietary habits.

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute has released guidelines to assist physicians in identifying patients with von Willebrand disease, a blood disorder that prevents clotting.

According to a study, women who suffered from panic attacks were more likely to have a heart attack or stroke than those who did not.