In the hoopla over swine (H1N1) flu, don't ignore the "regular" flu.

If you haven't gotten your flu shot yet, what are you waiting for? The hour or so it would take is nothing compared with the time you might spend fighting the flu or something worse — like recovering from the heart attack it could trigger.

As of early October 2009, much of the focus has been on swine flu (more formally called H1N1 flu). That's understandable. H1N1 is new, and no one knows how much damage it will cause. But the "regular" flu isn't something to sneeze ...

 

Too little of the sunshine vitamin linked to heart disease, statin-related muscle pain, other conditions.

Heart disease. Falls and broken bones. Breast and prostate cancer. Depression and memory loss. These problems seem to have nothing in common, except that they are leading causes of faltering health and death. Exciting research suggests there is a link — too little vitamin D, the so-called sunshine vitamin, can contribute to all of these.

Millions of Americans, especially older ones, don't have enough vitamin D in circulation. Current national recommendations for daily vitamin D intake — 400 international units (IU) for those aged ...

Too low may be a problem for people with clogged coronary arteries.

Lower is better" has become something of a mantra for protecting the heart. The definition of a healthy cholesterol level has been ratcheted downward over the years, and aggressive lowering of LDL (bad) cholesterol is now standard operating procedure. Blood pressure guidelines have followed a similar, though slower, trend.

There are physical limits to how low blood pressure can go. Problems like dizziness or fainting emerge if blood pressure falls too far. There's also some concern that aggressive blood pressure control may lower diastolic pressure (the bottom ...

People who have had a transient ischemic attack or a stroke should consider getting an ankle-brachial index test to check for peripheral artery disease.

Shellfish may not offer the same protection against heart disease as finned fish, but it is still a healthier alternative to red meat.

Brief reports on the beneficial effect of weight loss on the heart, eating a Mediterranean-style diet to control blood sugar, and an attempt to compare angioplasty and exercise as treatments for angina.

I've heard you should take an aspirin if you think you are having a heart attack. I already take aspirin (325 mg) every day. Should I still take an aspirin if I feel a heart attack coming on?

What can be done for endothelial dysfunction that causes coronary artery spasms and requires nitroglycerin at least four times a day?

Q. What is the story on using red yeast rice to lower cholesterol? You have warned readers against using it in the past, but I heard about a new study that shows it works. Are you ready to admit you are wrong on this one?

A. Red yeast rice has been touted for years as a "natural" way to lower cholesterol. People use it for a variety of reasons. Some have trouble taking a statin. Some believe that natural means safer. Others look with suspicion on anything made by a pharmaceutical company.

Does red yeast rice lower cholesterol? Yes. Is ...