Harvard Heart Letter: March 2009

At 78 years old, I am in pretty good shape. A couple of years ago, an echocardiogram showed a small leak in my mitral valve. A year later, a follow-up test showed some leakage in my tricuspid valve. The valves aren’t causing me any problems right now, but how will I know if they need to be repaired? I like to exercise, but don’t want to make these valve problems worse. Is it okay for me to walk on a treadmill at a speed of 3 to 4 miles an hour or lift light weights?

I have been arguing with a friend about whether the statin drugs lower blood pressure. Do they, or don't they?

Mitral valve prolapse is a bulging of the valve between the left atrium and left ventricle. Most people with the condition need no treatment and can expect to have a normal life span, though in certain cases the valve can start to leak.

Americans eat too much fat and refined sugar, and not enough vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and fish. Making some conscious substitutions and food choices can promote heart health.

Atrial fibrillation occurs when the heart receives an overload of signals telling it to beat, causing an irregular rhythm. It can be caused by a number of conditions including high blood pressure, heart failure, a viral infection, or stress.

People with peripheral artery disease will most likely benefit from an exercise regimen, regardless of whether or not they are experiencing the leg pain that frequently accompanies the condition.

If a person who is having a heart attack is not breathing but occasionally gasps for air, CPR should still be administered. In the first few minutes after an attack, it is more important to focus on chest compressions.

Brief updates on a possible link between too little sleep and heart disease, higher blood pressure in winter, and the danger of fat around the heart.

My doctor told me I should think about having a procedure something like angioplasty to stop my atrial fibrillation. Can you tell me more?